


Liberated

by daniwritesattimes



Series: To Be Free [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: M/M, Sexual Content, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2020-09-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:47:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 50
Words: 86,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26455114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daniwritesattimes/pseuds/daniwritesattimes
Summary: Having returned to the village, they no longer constantly had to be on the move, or so they thought.
Relationships: Hagane Kotetsu/Kamizuki Izumo, Hyuuga Neji/Nara Shikamaru
Series: To Be Free [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1891198
Comments: 30
Kudos: 41





	1. Chapter 1

“Shit,” Shikamaru groaned as he slowly sat up from the floor. It awoke Neji who took over the entire bed top.

“Hm?” Neji sat up sleepily.

“Slept the wrong way,” the Nara complained, rolling his neck.

“Mh,” Neji hummed lying back down.

Shikamaru stood and stretched, cracking joint after joint.

“That sounded horrible,” Neji commented.

“Happens when you sleep like you fell off a building,” the Nara responded, stepping into the bathroom.

. . .

Shikamaru walked with his neck craned back, not bothering to watch where he was going.

“What is the matter?” Neji questioned, pulling the Nara to the side to prevent him from colliding with a garbage can.

Shikamaru sighed, “Well we were turned down at every job we tried to apply to.” It was true. Some places even turned the two away before they could step foot on their property, “So I’m guessing word got out about the fugitives trying to ‘betray the village’ or something. Even without your clan breathing down our necks they’re so…” the shadow-nin paused, “troublesome.”

“I know, but the village has many other places that we could try,” the Hyuga reassured.

“Work? Are you two looking for work?” Iruka beamed at the two. Both shinobi looked to the man who they were not aware was listening or even there for that matter. He seemed to have been standing nearby at a fruit stand and decided to add to conversation. They looked to each other before locking eyes with the academy instructor a second time suspicious of the man’s proposal.

. . .

The Nara looked directly into the toilet, “no,” he said after seeing what sat in the bowl. He looked to Neji who scrubbed the sink. “No,” he repeated.

The Hyuga stopped scrubbing and faced his cleaning partner. “We will only do this long enough to find another job. I will cash in the gold tomorrow and we can put our savings together and see if we can purchase a new living space. For now, what we are doing is only a step closer to achieving that.”

“Well then you do it,” Shikamaru deadpanned, holding the plunger to the one who seemed so dedicated to reaching said goal.

Neji stood and stared at the plunger, contemplating before taking it from the shadow-nin and looking into the bowl himself. Almost instantly sealed his eyes. He exhaled slowly. Shikamaru tilted his head and raised his brows having proved his point.

“Perhaps another position is open?” Neji tried.

. . .

“Thank you,” a girl smiled at Shikamaru after he smacked a blob of some unknown school lunch on to her plate. He offered an artificial smile and dropped it as soon as she moved down the line. “Thank you,” she repeated after being provided a beverage by Neji. He smiled more genuinely before looking to the Nara. He then removed his gloves and hair net having served the last meal of the day.

“Until we find a new job,” the Hyuga repeated earning a sluggish nod from the younger.

“Shikamaru? Neji?” Konohamaru emerged from the crowd of academy students and eyed the shinobi through the lunch line glass. “What are you guys doing here?”

“Volunteering,” Shikamaru lied.

“Working,” Neji answered truthfully.

The Nara sighed, “working.”

“Oh, well we were just showing the new kids the ropes having graduated and all,” he placed both hands on his hips as he smiled proudly. “It’s strange seeing you guys as lunch ladies.”

Shikamaru let out a sarcastic grunt of a laugh as he lidded the leftover food.

“We do not plan on working here for long. We are currently searching for better job opportunities,” the Hyuga explained.

“Why can’t you guys just work at his girlfriend’s flower shop?” The young boy asked.

“She’s more like a loud sister than a girlfriend and I don’t think her folks like us too much right now,” the Nara replied.

“Never know ‘til you try,” Konohamaru sang.

. . .

“Of course, you can work here!” Inoichi exclaimed before nearing himself to his near-nephew’s ear. “But know that I don’t want you spending too much private time with my daughter,” he whispered threateningly.

“Yeah, I know.”

“Perfect! You start now,” Inoichi gave the two aprons to keep dirt from smudging across their garments before exiting the store. Ino walked in from the storage room.

“Good luck guys,” she waved.

“Where are you going?” Shikamaru asked.

“I worked my shift. I’m going home, relaxing in a warm bath, and getting some sleep,” she said dreamily as she hugged herself tightly. “The job is pretty straight forward. Just make sure they pay for whatever they want, I’ll worry about the actual nurturing of the plants,” she said before leaving without further instruction. Shikamaru watched her through the shop’s windows and caught sight of a Hyuga eyeing them from across the street. The shadow-nin placed a hand on top of his head and slowly stepped away from the glass.

“Okay,” he breathed out trying to collect his thoughts.

“What is it?” Neji asked from behind the register.

“Nothing just another one of your guys watching us like we’re bound to do something malicious.”

Neji stepped from behind the counter and peered through the window, staring right at what the younger shinobi had pointed out. “Ignore him,” Neji decided before taking his position as the cashier, out of sight from the glass pane.

“I’ll try,” the Nara scoffed. He returned to reorganizing the shelves when the lights went out. The two tensed immediately.

“Stay here, I will go check the back,” Neji ordered.

“No that’s what they want. I’ll make a clone and send it out there just to be safe,” the Nara performed the sign necessary to produce a clone and sent it through the back door, “I knew the sentence they gave you was too light,” he mumbled.

“If they are using the Byakugan then they should be able to see what we are doing,” Neji warned.

“We’re still sealed, they shouldn’t be able to see anything right now.”

“Perhaps that is why they’re here. We should…”

“It’s gone,” Shikamaru was stunned.

“What?”

“The shadow clone, someone took it out,” the Nara locked eyes with the elder male. It was confirmed. There was a hidden portion of the deal Hiashi had made. The Hyuga were trying to kill them.


	2. Chapter 2

The two stared into oblivion from where they sat behind the register. They were side by side, shoulder to shoulder. What they had failed to notice was that the sun had risen, and it was a new day. They were shaken by the sound of the shop’s doorbell alerting them that someone had entered. Both shinobi stood and took a fighting position, facing the newcomer.

Ino gasped with a potted plant that threatened to fall from her arms as she jumped. “What are you two doing here so early? What… Did you spend the _night_ here?” She sat the large pot down and placed a hand on her hip trying to catch her breath having hauled such a load through the village. She looked from one male to the other.

Both shinobi stood dead still and stared at her, their minds hardly running.

“We told you guys to close shop at ten,” she said.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes shut. “Yeah and we would’ve left if his clan wasn’t man hunting us,” he said running a hand down his face.

“What? Is that legal?” She began removing the apron from the Nara.

“Uh,” he tried to think, “I mean it’s the Hyuga clan; I think anything goes with them if it means protecting their eyes or something,” he half answered. He repeatedly tried rubbing the fatigue from his face. Each attempt was unsuccessful. “There was this guy watching us all night and I sent out a clone after the lights went out and the clone was attacked,” he continued, “and…”

“Go to the police, Shikamaru. They’re your best bet,” Ino ordered. “Please go,” she began untying Neji’s apron who had yet to move from where he stood when she first entered the shop. “No offense, Neji, but your clan has always rubbed me the wrong way.”

Neji shook his head at her words, “None taken.”

With that she shoved both boys to the door, forcing them from the shop, “They shouldn’t try anything in broad day light. Now, go. Don’t worry about your shift, I’ll work it if need be.”

Neji and Shikamaru stood side by side with the ringing of the doorbell behind them coming to a stop. They faced the world through worn eyes and caught sight of a Hyuga seated at an outdoor eatery.

Shikamaru groaned into his hands.

. . .

“So, we can’t file for harassment pretty much?” Shikamaru asked calmy. Both he and Neji were seated before the chief of police at the Konoha police station that was currently failing to own up to its name. They had tried to gain some ground over the Hyuga clan, but it started to seem as if the laws were built around them to defend them against any charges there were in the book of criminal offenses.

“No,” the policeman said.

The Nara leaned back in his seat and swiveled side to side. He had given up so Neji decided to try, “They have been following us through the village…”

“They?” The chief interrupted. “I’m sorry, but I thought you told me that each time you saw one of these guys, it was a different Hyuga.”

“Well, yes, but they still operate as one…”

“Well if it’s a different person each time then it isn’t exactly stalking. No _one_ person is following you guys. Let me know when one guy stares you two down day in and day out. Until then, I’ve heard enough, get out of my office,” he ordered getting back to some unfinished papers. Shikamaru took a stand to leave when he heard the elder speak.

“How do you explain the attack in the alleyway last night?” Neji asked.

“I said I’ve heard enough,” the officer cleared his throat.

“How?” Neji repeated.

The Nara stood by the door awkwardly looking from the Hyuga to the man behind the desk.

“It was a clone,” the chief dismissed.

“They had no way of knowing that,” Neji shot back.

“They probably did, they’re Hyuga,” the man shook his head cluelessly.

“So am I. I have been fooled by a clone before,” the male shot back.

“Then maybe you aren’t the most talented Hyuga, now leave my office.”

Neji kept his pale eyes on the chief for a minute longer before exiting the door held by the Nara. Shikamaru followed him out of the building. He was unsure if the man’s words had reached Neji or not but the elder left the office without a word.

“So, now what?” The shadow-nin rubbed the back of his neck.

“If we go now, we can still make it in time for our shift,” Neji said.

The younger watched him, just as impressed as ever at how he just let words roll right off of him with ease. His self-confidence had to be relatively high to be able take it without reacting in the slightest. His eyes drifted down the dirt road and brushed over a Hyuga that eyed them from a roof top. The person’s stillness gave the Nara chills. Still, he turned his back and started towards their second job as janitors close behind the elder.

. . .

The two entered TenTen’s apartment half past six to avoid being out at night. The girl walked in from her room to greet the Hyuga but was surprised to see he had company.

“Oh, hi, Shikamaru!” She smiled as she dried her hair with a shirt.

“Yeah, sorry. I know I said one night. Look, I can pay you for another night I swear this is my last one here,” he pled politely.

“No, don’t pay,” she shook her head at the preposterous idea, “Please, you’re a friend. I wouldn’t make you pay. Look, I just got back from the mission and showered, so it’s open if either of you want to use it. What are you looking for?” She watched Neji go through his bag and search through the couch’s cushions.

“It’s gone,” he said. “The gold from the Land of Rivers.”

“No way,” Shikamaru tried searching for the small bag of gold pieces himself. “That was the bulk of our payment for a place out of here.” He sat on the floor after failing to find it under the coffee table. “Damn,” he slammed a fist against the hardwood surface.

“You guys had gold?” TenTen looked to Neji in shock.

“I was going to cash it in. It seemed to be enough to support a large amount of our payment for a new home,” he explained.

“Wait, you guys are moving in together?” She raised a brow and lowered the cloth from her head.

“Yes, but now…” he began.

“Now we’re shit out of luck,” the Nara finished. “Has anyone else been in here?” he questioned.

“No, not that I know of. I’ve only been here for forty minutes and I’d never go through your stuff, I swear!”

“Don’t worry, I don’t think either of us suspect you of doing it,” he stood to face the kunoichi, “It’s his clan. They’re trying everything they can to give us a hard time.”

“Oh…” she looked away.

“Tried to kill us, stalked us, pretty much threatened us if you think about it,” he went on.

Her face told that she was sorting things within her. The kunoichi’s body language was closed off. She seemed to draw into herself and shrink. Her head sunk as she held her arm. Her eyes looked as if she were looking at something in the distance.

“TenTen?” Neji faced the girl. She shook her head and slowly went back into her room. The Hyuga walked up to the door and listened

“TenTen?” he called.

“Nothing. I’m fine,” she called back.

“Are you sure?” He pushed on.

There was a pause. He looked to the Nara who shot him a shrug.

“Um,” she spoke up, “How much do you guys need for the place you’re looking at?”


	3. Chapter 3

Neither of them had even searched for a house. Neither ever got the chance let alone the time. They had to settle on the cheapest thing they could find, and it offered a deal that dropped the price significantly. The only catch was that they had to live with the current homeowner. He was old and needed care takers, but he refused to be looked after by nurses. They made him feel useless, weak even. His neighbor had offered the deal due to being the only other person in the man’s life. The neighbor genuinely worried about the old man’s well-being and hated the idea of something happening to him and no one knowing all because of his stubbornness. “So, he entrusted complete strangers to look after the old guy?” Shikamaru asked, watching the elderly man sleep from down the narrow hall.

“I do not understand the thinking behind the deal, but we finally have somewhere to live,” Neji said.

“Yeah, but…” a loud snore from the sickly man boomed through the walls, “but I feel like we might be going against this guy’s death wishes or something,” he whispered.

“We have to work with what was given. All we have to do is make sure he gets his medication throughout the day and we can continue working.”

“What happens if he – I don’t know – dies in his sleep?” The Nara put insensitively.

Neji looked to him over his bowl of instant ramen.

“What? I know you were thinking it. Would we have to leave or…”

“Let us hope the man does not pass away while we are here.”

“Right, right,” the shadow-nin dropped the subject.

“Are you girls gonna try to kill me in my sleep so you can take over this place?” The old man yelled from his bed. “They all tried it, but I wrote them out my will.” He coughed as he shifted around on the mattress. “I may have to be on a tank but I’m still sharp. I’ll whoop you in a heartbeat. Try it,” he peered out of his door to the Nara as best as his old eyes could.

“No, no I wouldn’t…”

“Ha!” The man exclaimed before mumbling curses as he lied himself back down, “And come shut my door. I’m tired of listening to you two _girls_ talk!” He grunted. Neji continued eating and waited for the younger shinobi to do as told. Shikamaru nodded admitting it was fair enough, so he stood from his seat and walked down the creaky hall.

“Sorry about that,” he apologized awkwardly. All he got in return was a loud snore. He didn’t know if it was real or fake, but he didn’t need to be told twice to shut the door and leave him alone for the night.

. . .

“And you made sure he took his medicine before you left?” Neji asked

“Yeah, he kept refusing it, but he took it,” Shikamaru said taking a wooden broom from the Hyuga’s hands, “eventually.” They had just gotten a third job at a barber shop to sweep up hair that took place earlier in the morning so they could still make it to the academy midday and the flower shop in the evenings. Only, Neji’s sweeping shift was an hour ahead of the Nara’s. The minute Neji got off was the minute Shikamaru stepped through the parlor doors. It was now the elder male’s turn to return home and look after the old man until their next shift. “Look, he’s really stubborn,” the shadow-nin began sweeping clipped ends into a pile. “He falls asleep midsentence and forgets things sometimes,” he stopped to look at his now roommate, “I think you’ll be fine though. You’ve always seemed pretty patient.”

Neji nodded, “I will. Where did you leave his medication?”

“It should be in our bedroom pillows. He kept saying he’d ‘flush the damn things if it’s the last thing I do!’ Just hide them when you’re done,” the Nara shook his head and went back to work.

. . .

Neji entered through the unlocked door. There was only one key at the moment but both shinobi left and returned at different times so they left it unlocked until they could replicate the key. It wasn’t the safest thing however the old man had proven to be reluctant to unlock the door for them from within, so they didn’t have much of a choice.

“Who’s there?” he heard a gruff voice call from down the hall. Upon entering there were a few counter tops along the wall of the front door and in front of the counters was a circular wooden table with three wooden chairs. Once one stepped through the front door, straight ahead was a single step down into the living room with an old sofa and small television that sat on what seemed to be an old dresser. Behind it were windows that stretched from the floor to the ceiling. To the right of it was a narrow hall that held a restroom. All the way to the end of the walkway was the old man’s room. Once one reached his room, there was a left turn that lead down another narrow hall lined by windows and at its end was another bedroom. That was the room in which both he and the Nara were staying. In it was another bathroom for two. The house’s age made it nearly impossible to sneak inside without creaking the floorboards which alerted the man of Neji’s presence.

“Neji,” the he spoke up, shutting the door behind him.

“Here to shove pills down my throat I’m sure,” the man complained.

Neji entered his room with the bottle he retrieved from his pillowcase. He sat a glass of water on the man’s nightstand and offered him the pill. The sight of it made the man look to Neji with an expression that read ‘you don’t actually believe I’m going to take this, do you?’ So, the shinobi sat on the bed and waited for the man to take the medication responsible for each breath he took. They locked eyes for minutes and minutes until Neji finally stood. The elderly man grunted in response and lied back down, intertwining his fingers over his round stomach. Much to his dismay the boy walked back in with a newspaper and reclaimed his spot at the foot of the bed. He sat with his legs crossed, facing the old man who now opened one eye to look down his nose at the young man who was so persistent. He tried to ignore him but the weight at the end of the bed became more noticeable as the time went on.

“Dammit what do you want?” The old man grumbled.

Neji looked up from the page of job offers and eyed the pill on the side of the bed then looked back to the old man before getting back to his paper. He used a pen to circle openings that appealed to him and continued to wait for the man to give in.

The elder sighed in annoyance. “You’re not as pushy as the other one but you don’t give up as easily. So, you’re both a pain in your own ways. I told that idiot of a boy I didn’t want any help. I was fine living the way I was,” he rose his head, “Why here? Why live here of all places? Were you two _that_ dirt poor?” The man exclaimed.

Neji gave no response and continued fingering through the pages.

The man sat his head back, “Hmph.” He closed his eyes and tried to get back to sleep, but he couldn’t no matter how hard he tried. “You both remind me of my grandson,” he said.

Neji finally looked to the man over bookmarked pages.

“He begged and begged for me to go to the hospital before it got this bad when he was just a boy. I was stubborn. I didn’t like the idea of living in and out of a hospital. I was stronger than that,” he continued.

The boy at the foot of the bed lowered the newspaper and placed his pen over it as he listened.

“That was before…” his smile died, “Well before he lost his damn mind.” He caught a glimpse of Neji’s eyes watching him then readjusted his head to where it was propped up on the pillow enough for him to fully face the Hyuga. “He started something I didn’t like so I kicked him from my house. This very house,” he jabbed a finger to the sheets. “Everything was fine until he started it.” He sighed as he shook his head. The exhale induced a coughing fit making Neji remove himself from the bed and offer the man some water. He sat the sickly man up from his pillows and held the glass to his lips. Once he was done, he lied the man back down and watched over him to make sure the coughing had truly ceased. Then, the gasping elder held out his hand and curled his fingers, silently asking for the medication while rolling his eyes.

Neji placed the small white pill in his palm and watched as it was swallowed, ensuring him that his job was done.

“Ginji,” the man coughed.

“Excuse me?” Neji pardoned.

“Just call me Ginji. No more of that sir stuff. Makes me feel old,” he grumbled.

“Understood,” Neji bowed, “Ginji.”

“None of that bowing either, same deal,” he waved the gesture of respect away.

Neji straightened back up and nodded his head. Ginji looked at the paper on the foot of the bed. “What’s that you’re reading?” He asked before clearing his throat.

“I am looking for occupations,” Neji said.

“Mh,” the man hummed in understanding, “Well maybe having you two around won’t be too bad. You see that pile of envelopes on the way in the door?”

Neji remembered seeing such a thing on the counter tops and nodded.

“Those are all overdue bills. Maybe you two can get them caught up for me,” he smiled slyly.

“Bills?” Neji’s eyes rounded.

“What? Did you think they were a bunch of love letters? I haven’t seen any family or friends in years. Well, mainly because the lot of them are dead,” he chuckled roughly.

“What about your grandson?” Neji questioned.

“He’s out of the picture,” Ginji lied back down and turned away from male at his bed side, “Not dead just out of the picture,” he repeated bitterly.

Neji wondered what could have happened to place his grandson in a situation similar to his own as he collected his paper and pen leaving the man to fall into his daily, three hour nap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by Netflix’s Ozark


	4. Chapter 4

Shikamaru jogged up to Neji as soon as Neji stepped foot through the flower shop’s door.

“Hey, Ino told us to just head out early enough to get home before dark. Her dad is being pretty cool about it too so we shouldn’t be out late enough to get mixed up in anything,” the Nara informed.

“Good,” Neji said as he tied an apron around his waist. “We should thank them properly later.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m just glad it’s the weekend and we don’t have to serve time at the academy for the next two days. Iruka _did_ just offer us a substitution spot,” he perked up, “I mean we wouldn’t know enough to actually teach the class, but we could just fill in to make sure they don’t do something stupid if Iruka ever has to take off or something.”

“That sounds promising,” Neji approached the Nara with the newspaper, “I circled the ones that seemed like good openings.”

Shikamaru took the paper and flipped through the pages that held pen ink. “A cuddler?” He asked.

“It is when a person holds a newborn to make sure they are warm after birth. It was simple compared to the other offerings.” Neji explained.

“Sounds like a women’s job. I don’t know how people would feel about two dudes holding their kids,” Shikamaru mumbled, “The barbeque place that Choji loves? Doesn’t sound too bad.”

The doorbell rang and both males gave it their undivided attention. In walked Izumo and Kotetsu. “Hey, guys! Heard you were back in town and doing alright, but what’s this I keep hearing about stalker Hyuga?” Kotetsu cocked his head to the side.

The Nara dropped the paper to the counter, “Don’t remind me,” he groaned.

“Well, I hope you two are fine. We wanted to give you this welcoming gift,” Izumo smiled. He handed the Hyuga a red box of chocolates in the shape of a heart.

“Thank you,” Neji lowered his head in appreciation and placed it next to the newspaper.

“The sweets were a gift to him and he’s ungrateful so he’s giving them away,” Kotetsu explained.

“That’s not it! I’m just watching what I eat! It was a generous gift and I appreciate it, but I just can’t eat it. What do you want me to do? Let it go to waste?” Izumo argued.

“Takes some guts to give away a gift in front of the person who just gifted it to you,” Shikamaru said, hunched over in the stool.

The two, elder shinobi looked to the Nara silently. “Who said I gave them to him?” Kotetsu asked.

“Figured.” Shikamaru yawned. He swiveled side to side in the counter’s stool as he watched the two try to convince him otherwise.

“Well… I _didn’t_ ,” the man assured and looked away from the boy as if he held a high grudge against him just for assuming so.

“Yeah, no, he didn’t,” Izumo backed him up, “And forget all that. We didn’t just come to give you chocolates. We actually wanted to stick around if that’s okay. We won’t get kicked out for loitering, will we? We just heard about the Hyuga thing and on the way here we saw more than we ever have just standing around in the streets.”

Shikamaru visibly shivered at the notice, “yeah, we’d actually appreciate it a lot, thanks,” he said.

. . .

Kotetsu had grown bored and sat in a foldable chair, resting his face against his hand that was propped up by a display table on his right. Izumo wandered around the shop and observed the diverse plant life that thrived in one small area. He then sighed which was the first thing vocalized in hours since they had been in there. He fiddled with a leaf, “You guys… know, don’t you?”

Kotetsu stood quick enough to knock the back of the seat against the wall, “Izumo!”

The brunette turned swiftly and shot a glare at the other guard, “What? They clearly do! And in case you’ve forgotten, both boys have been dubbed geniuses! We couldn’t fool them if we wanted to!” Izumo exclaimed.

“I mean, yeah it’s pretty obvious,” Shikamaru admitted, raising his head from where it lied against the counter.

Everyone fell silent. Kotetsu folded his arms as he thought. “So, what?” He said suddenly.

“What?” Shikamaru sighed lazily.

“What now? Are you disgusted?” Kotetsu’s voice had risen and he stepped up to the Nara who still sat lazily behind the register. Neji walked in from the back having watered the outdoor plants. He had heard the commotion from the back and finished showering the plant life just in time to make it back in to see the scene. “Appalled?” Kotetsu continued, glaring down at the younger shinobi.

“Kotetsu…” Izumo began.

“No!” He yelled over his shoulder. He raised his arms in question, “What, Nara? What?” He slammed the counter.

The seed packets the shadow-nin had been trying to stack fell, and he looked up to the heated man that towered over him, “To tell you the truth, I don’t really _care_.”

Kotetsu’s and Izumo’s eyes softened at the surprise. They have never received such a response for as long as they’ve been together. They didn’t know how to respond to it.

“It’s not like you’re hurting anyone,” he began to restack the packets out of boredom, “People just hate things they don’t understand and what people need to realize is that everyone’s different. You don’t exactly need to understand how, you should just respect it. It’s way less of a drag than hating something just ‘cause it confuses you,” he mumbled pretending to be fully focused on the seed packets.

Both men stared at the boy in awe. Neji was stunned from where he stood in the back door.

“You…” Kotetsu looked over his shoulder to his partner then back to the Nara, “You really think that?”

Shikamaru sighed, “It’s just kinda weird how people would rather see men in war than in love or something,” he shrugged before resting his head fully against the counter, “What a drag.”

“What?” Izumo asked, stepping up.

“Lost track of time, the sun’s setting,” the Nara muffled through the crook of his arm.

. . .

The two elder shinobi had offered to walk them home just to be an extra set of defenses if it came down to it. They kept their eyes peeled for any suspicious movement. The two watched the younger pair walk ahead of them engage on a conversation. It was light banter that got Neji to smile which was returned with a chuckle from the Nara. They were in the thick of things together, both Kotetsu and Izumo knew it, but something about them seemed closer than just two people who shared a common issue. Izumo smiled softly as he watched the two. He looked to Kotetsu who had a similar expression to his own. The raven-haired male looked to his walking partner and raised his brows in a suggestive manner. Izumo returned the look. He leaned closer to Kotetsu, “Do you think…” he whispered.

“Oh yeah,” Kotetsu responded. He then caught sight of someone walking in the corner of his eye across the street. “Keep walking!” Kotetsu shouted.

“That’s a civilian,” Izumo deadpanned.

“Who says Hyuga can’t use contact lenses to disguise themselves? He had Neji’s hair,” Kotetsu defended.

Izumo palmed his forehead as the other continued rotating every few seconds to make sure they weren’t being followed. Izumo opened his eyes and began to study their surroundings. “Hey, where do you guys live?” He asked. His tone suggested he was a bit on edge.

Shikamaru turned to face the brunette, “Just down this way,” he pointed a thumb behind him and dropped the hand back in his pocket. “Thanks again for walking us,” he said, turning back to continue down the path.

Once they reached the house, Izumo grew stiff. “Is he…” he whispered. He teared up.

They all turned to look at him. “Woah, hey, what’s wrong?” Kotetsu asked, gripping his shoulder.

“He’s…” Izumo choked again. They guided him inside and sat him on the old, plaid sofa. Kotetsu held on to the weeping shinobi and the other two decided to give them privacy. They walked down the hall, far enough to not be heard or seen.

“What the hell was that?” Shikamaru whispered before leaning against the wall. Neji stood in front of him with his arms folded.

“His grandfather,” Neji said.

“What?” The Nara asked in a tone that told the Hyuga he was making no sense. “Did he die or something?”

“This is his grandfather’s house, Ginji is his grandfather,” the elder realized aloud before looking to the Nara, “Earlier today Ginji told me of his grandson and how he was forced from this house some time ago.”

“All he told me was to get lost,” Shikamaru said.

“He kicked his grandson from this house because he had started something against his grandfather’s wishes,” Neji watched Shikamaru as the pieces began to come together. Shikamaru’s eyes drifted to the floor as he put two and two together.

“Ah, man,” Shikamaru hissed. It had to have been because of Kotetsu.

“What? Are you _girls_ crying in my house now?” The old man swung his door open and crept slowly towards the living room but stopped halfway at the sight of his grandson crying in another man’s arms.

Shikamaru cursed as he and Neji rushed to the scene. Once there, they saw that all three men stared at one another in shock.

“Grandfather? I thought that since they lived here, that you…” Izumo started.

“The _hell_ are you doing here?!” He shouted, slamming his cane to the worn wooden floors. “Wasn’t I clear when I told you to get out all those years ago?!”

Kotetsu stood, “Please, sir he was only upset because he thought you were dead.”

“And who the hell are you?! You like taking it up the back, too?!” Ginji looked to Neji and pointed his cane at him, “When I said the two of you remind me of my grandson, I didn’t mean for you to bring him here so I could compare, dammit!” He panted.

“You should calm down, this is not good for your heart, sir,” Neji tried to assist him only to be swatted away. Little did he know, calling him sir would add fuel to the fire. The old man roared and began to cough audibly incapable of catching his breath.

Kotetsu stared in fear, Izumo gasped and Shikamaru caught the man as he continued to flail before he could fall against the floor. Still, Ginji banged his cane against the shadow-nin repeatedly. Neji tried to rip the cane from his old, veiny hands which only got the man to start using his legs to inflict damage on the Nara.

“I am sorry, Shikamaru,” Neji apologized, surprisingly straining to remove the cane from the old man’s grip.

The man landed a knee against Shikamaru’s middle, causing the Nara to hold himself and topple over him in pain. Ginji coughed at the impact. Izumo yelled for him and Kotesu watched in confused terror.


	5. Chapter 5

“I killed him,” Izumo said, still in a trance while sitting under the blinding hospital lights that reflected their images in windows. It was late. Kotetsu still had his arm wrapped around the man.

“No, you didn’t, Izumo. You used to tell me about how he never did what doctors told him to anyways,” Kotetsu reasoned. Izumo looked to him with tearful eyes and gripped his vest.

“I killed him!” Izumo cried.

“He’s not even dead,” Kotetsu said.

Both Neji and Shikamaru watched the interaction like a tennis match from where they sat across from the couple.

A woman in a white coat approached them with a wide grin, “Good news, his vitals are good to go and he should be home free in a couple days. We’re just going to run a few tests and make sure there’s nothing new we need to worry about. He’s years behind on a number of checkups,” the doctor said as she scanned over a clip board in amazement.

They all paused after hearing the news. The doctor smiled and left them alone in the waiting area.

“It’s my fault!” Izumo cried. Kotetsu sighed and let the man cry into his vest.

. . .

“I am starting to think it is my fault,” Neji sighed outside of their restroom. He leaned against the wall right by their bathroom door that sat slightly ajar.

“No, don’t do that,” Shikamaru complained from where he lounged in the bathtub within, “Please don’t,” he rubbed his eyes. He didn’t feel like listening to Neji beat himself up over something that was hardly related to him.

“I was the one who knew of his grandson,” Neji said.

“Yeah, but did you know it was Izumo?” Shikamaru dropped his hand into the warm water.

“No.”

“Then okay, then. Don’t beat yourself up over nothing.”

“I started to suspect it when he started crying at the doorstep. I should not have helped bring him inside,” Neji went on.

“Neji. Stop. If you didn’t know for sure, if you didn’t know it was Izumo, if you didn’t know why he was kicked out and why he broke down then relax. It’s not your fault Ginji reacted the way he did years ago, and it’s not your fault he reacted the way he did tonight.”

“I called him sir.”

“What?” Shikamaru squinted his eyes in confusion.

“He told me not to call him sir, but I did and that is when his panic began to interfere with his breathing,” Neji explained. He heard the water drain and looked away from the door. It opened, and out stepped Shikamaru dripping wet with a towel wrapped around his waist. He stood with his arms crossed and looked to the Hyuga through heavy lids. His hair was a wet, sloppy bun that did little to keep stray strands from sticking against his face. His lashes were wet, hinting that he had dunked his head under water at some point which Neji did not blame him for.

“I’m sorry,” Neji said quietly, dropping his eyes only for them to land on the Nara’s toned arms. The Hyuga inhaled and averted his eyes before letting the air escape him.

“I said no more apologies,” Shikamaru said, closing in on the elder whose back was still pressed against the wall. He left hardly any space between himself and Neji. In fact, the Nara pressed himself against him. He earned Neji’s pale gaze instantly. It was the same one from Ichiro’s house after he had awoken from his venom-induced coma. It was a look of complete captivation. The way the Hyuga’s lips slightly opened showed of his uncertainty of what was to come. His round, lilac eyes told of how he wanted nothing more than to stare at the male before him and with the stare was a hint of surprise. He was completely drawn in by the sight of Shikamaru’s lips. But, as always, nothing would’ve happened if the Nara didn’t make the first move, so he did.

Shikamaru caught Neji’s lips with his own in a quick kiss before reconnecting them in another, then another and another until they didn’t part again. The kiss was continuous, heated, overdue so it seemed. The Nara guided the kiss and the elder followed along. Shikamaru pressed his hips against the other’s making Neji grip his bare shoulder in response. The shadow-nin grabbed the male’s waist to press further against him as their teeth crash against each other. Neji pulled away and laughed as Shikamaru attacked his neck with a chuckle. Neji hissed at the sensation of the Nara nibbling at the skin between his neck and shoulder. The Hyuga wrapped his arms around the other’s shoulders and felt the shadow-nin’s hands drop further. The Nara made it his mission to bring ease to the Hyuga’s mind in whatever way he could.

Shikamaru released his skin long enough to speak, “Can I?”

“Mh,” Neji nodded, brows turned up almost as if he were in pain, but anyone would be able to tell it was quite the opposite. It was produced by want and the friction below combined with the lips that moved against his neck and shoulder. Shikamaru pressed his hands firmly against the Hyuga’s bottom half, rubbing in circles as he bit down into his skin, hips still rolling against him. The Nara then slipped his fingers into the Hyuga’s waist band and took a hold of the male’s hips over the cloth of his undergarments. One hand lowered to Neji’s clothed member and began to palm the sensitive area that made the male grip his shoulders even harder. Neji gasped at the sensation, not expecting Shikamaru to get straight to the point. He closed his eyes and buried his flushed face into the boy’s neck as he felt the Nara’s hand work him. Every now and then his hips would snap forward. Shikamaru pressed his other hand against the bottom of the male’s back, encouraging the movement. He grazed his lips against Neji’s ear as butterflies danced excitedly in his stomach at the feeling of Neji clinging to him like he would nothing else. The Nara felt his face heat up at the thought; it felt good. When a small sound akin to a moan escaped the elder’s lips, the Nara took it as a sign that he was done so he removed his hand and wrapped his arms around the male’s waist as Neji came back to his senses. His face was red with embarrassment and he did not wish for the shadow-nin to see it, so he kept his face lowered.

“So…” The Nara began, “You got Ginji out of the house so we could do this?” Shikamaru was joking of course, but Neji still shoved him away and looked him up and down. At first, he had decided he had enough of the boy until his eyes caught sight of the tent in his towel. “Don’t worry about it, it’ll go down. I’m tired anyways,” he rubbed his neck and removed the hair tie from the small bun.

“Um,” Neji felt himself blushing all over again. “Maybe I could…”

“Nah, I can tell you’re inexperienced and I don’t feel like teaching right now,” Shikamaru said, running lazy fingers through his hair in the mirror that hung on the bedroom wall.

“And you are experienced?” Neji asked in shock.

“You say it like it’s the most surprising thing ever. I’m a boy, we do stupid things.”

“With… men I mean,” Neji stuttered.

Shikamaru’s hand came down against the dresser below the mirror. He sighed heavily and lowered his head. “Um,” he said before looking back in the mirror, “ _yeah_ … well, it wasn’t like a…”

“Relationship,” Neji finished.

“Right, it was just a thing that sort of happened like once I mean it wasn’t a reoccurring thing. It was just like resolving sexual tension but I never went back, because well… _he_ never came back because he was ashamed and then he started looking at me like I caused every great shinobi war in history, so,” he shrugged, “It just was what it was. It’s not like I loved the guy, we were just hormonal teens, curious whatever you wanna call it. Besides him, my two previous sexual encounters were female, so I’m less experienced in the male department I guess.”

Neji dropped his eyes to the floor and nodded.

“Have you ever done anything?” The Nara asked facing the Hyuga.

“No. Premarital sex was heavily prohibited and would result in punishment.”

“Of course, it does,” Shikamaru mumbled. “Well, I’ll just have to teach you everything you’re behind on,” he sighed casually because to him it was nothing to be flustered over however Neji did not think the same way. The Hyuga’s cheeks reddened all over again. He didn’t know what to say. He stood awkwardly in the middle of the room facing the Nara. Shikamaru looked to the male’s reflection and turned to look at him, “You okay?” He walked up to the flustered male and pressed a hand gently against his shoulder and rubbed it down his arm before gripping lightly. Neji sealed his eyes shut and nodded. Shikamaru grinned and pressed a kiss against the elder’s forehead. It was a loving gesture that would not have typically been given by someone who was only present for sexual benefits. Neji then caught his eyes having realized this.

“Shikamaru.”

“Hm?”

“What if…” Neji searched his face, “I…” he looked away.

Shikamaru let out a sharp breath and lowered his hand he rolled his neck and dropped his head before locking eyes with Neji. He already knew what Neji may have been trying to relay to him. He was scared of what the others would think. Their connection was nearly unheard of, of course but the Nara couldn’t care less. He just wanted to be happy with someone for once. Figuring Neji had nothing left to say, he turned to get dressed when his wrist was grabbed.

“No,” Neji breathed against him, “I do want this. I do,” he kept his eyes against the floor knowing that he would freeze up again if he were to look up into the boy’s eyes. He closed his own and took a deep breath. “Just slowly.”

“Neji.”

The Hyuga forced himself to look to the Nara. He found an understanding smile.

“I know. Trust me,” Shikamaru promised, “We’ll go slow.”


	6. Chapter 6

Shikamaru started with a steady groan that gradually turned into an all-out yell. Neji opened his eyes and sat up, “What?” He asked, visibly worried.

“The fucking water,” the Nara rubbed his face and dropped himself back against the bed.

“Well, the yell was a bit anticlimactic,” the Hyuga responded and peeled the sheets back lowering his feet to the ground to try and figure out what the boy meant but he knew as soon as his foot touched the wooden floor. He felt a wetness flow through his toes and ripped his leg up on contact, “What happened?” Neji ground his teeth in discomfort.

“I don’t know, but the bed turned into an island overnight,” Shikamaru said into his pillow.

“Must be the pipes,” the elder figured.

“I’d bet money on that family of yours,” Shikamaru mumbled.

“The house is old, Nara. It could have just been old pipes. Maybe the sewage was backed up. Get up,” Neji ordered as he rose from the bed.

“Why? We finally have a day off,” the shadow-nin complained.

“We have to fix this,” Neji said, removing the pillow from Shikamaru’s face.

. . .

The two moseyed through the village allowing men at home to remove the water and replace the pipes that ruptured. It was close to evening and they had no exact destination.

“Didn’t expect our first date to be spent looking for a company to drain toilet water from our first house,” Shikamaru said casually. Neji’s head turned to him, telling him to keep quiet. Shikamaru knew exactly what he was doing and gave the Hyuga a lazy smile. “Hey,” he elbowed the elder, “lighten up. So, what if they have a problem? There’s no law against it,” he pondered for a second, “I don’t think.”

“That does not mean it is socially acceptable,” Neji shot back.

“So what?”

“So…” Neji crossed his arms. Shikamaru watched him think from behind. “There is no telling what people would do if the news branched out.”

“You’re scared,” the Nara summed up. “Well that’s a relief, I thought you were embarrassed.”

“No, of course not. Why would I be embarrassed of you?”

“I’m a _guy_ ,” Shikamaru tilted his head when Neji turned to face him. He watched Neji’s pale irises wander. The Hyuga lowered his arms and trailed off in thought. He felt Shikamaru tap a finger against his hand and he pulled away from the touch. Neji awkwardly shifted. He wasn’t ready to hold hands; he wasn’t ready to be public. It was frightening.

“I’m sorry,” Neji apologized quietly.

“It’s fine,” Shikamaru shrugged, “take your time. Let’s go visit Ginji and talk to him about the damage,” the Nara said, taking the lead. Nothing about him was visibly upset but something about him seemed a bit disappointed in Neji’s reaction.  
  
The Hyuga regretted it deeply.

. . .

“Damn, wouldn’t be the first time those old things broke. They were raggedy back when Izumo lived with me,” Ginji cursed. His grandson sat next to him on the bed and Kotetsu lounged in a visitor’s seat. Both Shikamaru and Neji were surprised to see Kotetsu there comfortably – almost as surprised to see Izumo there at all.

Neji looked to Shikamaru after having been right about the pipes not being sabotaged by the Hyuga. The Nara tilted his head in admittance but deep down guessed it could’ve just been a coincidence.

“Repairs are being made as we speak. Now it is only a matter of replacing damaged furniture and painting the walls,” Neji informed. “Would you like the same colors applied?”

“Ah,” the old man waved weakly, “Choose whatever you two want,” he panted once. “I won’t be long anyway. The place is yours, boys. What point is there in wasting time choosing decorations when I have so little? You two have a blast, I just wanna go to bed when I get home,” he said before clearing his throat.

All shinobi stared at the man whose words had darkened the room.

Izumo whimpered pitifully and curled up next to his grandfather. The old man laughed, “I’m sorry, Izumo for all these years. I might just put you back in my will,” he smiled.

“Stop talking about death!” The Brunette demanded, “I just got you back.”

The old man continued to laugh regardless of its risk of causing a coughing fit before eyeing Kotetsu who avoided his gaze. The shift of Ginji’s attention told of his mild discomfort of the ravenette’s presence, “I’m just glad you weren’t all by yourself in the world, Guppy,” the old man said, patting the boy of a man on the head. Izumo froze at the old nickname. Kotetsu laughed.

“Kotetsu!” Izumo yelled. Shikamaru snorted.

“Shikamaru,” Neji scolded quietly.

“So, what are you? A...” the old man rotated his wrist trying to draw up his next words, “thing too?” Ginji asked the younger pair of shinobi. The two stood awkwardly and their mouths opened to answer only no words left their mouths. They only looked to one another for help before facing the other three. They watched as Kotetsu’s smile grew and Izumo’s mouth widened.

“Figured,” Kotetsu commented.

“Wait, since when?” Izumo asked.

“Since,” the Nara paused before shrugging. Both shinobi knew the feeling was mutual for some time leading up to that moment, “We were gonna go out today, but we woke up in a pool of sewage water so…”

“Well maybe looking for wall colors will make up for it. It’s the person that makes the outing, not the place. Make something out of it!” Izumo beamed, excitedly standing from the bed, and throwing his arms around each boy. 

“How could you have possibly thought that if we never spoke in the past?” Neji asked. It was true, he had very limited social interaction with the Nara before taking off from the village.

“Eh, just the way you guys spoke and looked at each other,” Kotetsu said with a shrug, licking a spoon of hospital pudding before smirking.

Neji averted his gaze. He revisited the moments he shared with the Nara in public. He didn't think they were be so obvious. 

“Now, go! Your day off is coming to an end!” Izumo said, shoving the two from the hospital door. Again, the two stood outside of a door facing the world before them at a loss of what to do next. Shikamaru heard a nearby bathroom door swing open and out stepped a Hyuga. The Nara slowly blinked and fully faced the stranger before being pulled along by Neji who wished to ignore the men as best as he could.

“I was just gonna talk to him,” Shikamaru whispered.

“No, you were not,” Neji promised.


	7. Chapter 7

Shikamaru picked up a card that was the color of paint he rather liked and he did it relatively quick, too. It didn’t usually take the boy too long to make up his mind. He walked down the aisles of thousands of shades that faded from one color to the next in tall stands. He rounded the corner and approached the Hyuga who stood in the next aisle over. Neji looked as though he were contemplating over two different colors. Shikamaru swayed side to side inching up behind the male to see what it was that was giving him such a hard time. He raised a brow searching for a difference between the two shades. “White?” Shikamaru asked.

“Well, it is more of a cream color but this one is closer to a cool gray,” Neji weighed his options.

“My point is it’s boring, come on. Choose _color_ ,” Shikamaru said coming between the elder and the color samples. He held up his sample of a deep green. Neji stared to the card for some time before shaking his head. “What’s wrong with it?” the Nara asked, reevaluating his choice.

“I just do not like it,” Neji answered honestly.

“Well, we don’t have to paint in neutral colors I mean it’s not like you’re gonna go crazy over decorations,” he said remembering the Hyuga’s living quarters. He moved out of the way so the elder male could continue studying the shades.

“Maybe we can come to an agreement on another color?” The Hyuga offered. However, each time one of them pointed one out, the other would turn it down.

“Okay, well it’s clear that you like light airy colors,” Shikamaru sighed after having gone down an entire aisle.

“And you favor darker shades,” Neji added.

“This is impossible.”

They heard a light giggle and looked over to see Sakura holding large rolls of parchment paper, “Then make a deal you two!” Either boy considered it.

“I choose a color, you choose a shade?” Shikamaru proposed.

“I can do that,” Neji agreed.

“What do you guys need paint for anyway?” The girl asked.

“Pipes broke at the house so we’re…” Shikamaru began.

“House? You two live together?” She lowered the rolls, standing them upright on the ground.

“Um,” Shikamaru twisted to Neji who nodded silently, “yeah.”

“Of course! The time away on a stressful endeavor like that would pull anyone closer together. I always thought you two would get along for some reason. I know you were never too close to begin with,” she placed her hands on her hips as she looked from one male to the other, “but it just seemed like a sure thing that you’d be good friends.”

Shikamaru nodded as though she were saying something rather interesting. To him, her words were something to think about. It seemed as if everyone saw their compatibility before they had.

“Well, I hope you two agree on a color. I promised I’d get these where they need to be before closing time,” she hoisted the rolls back up with a grunt.

“Closing time?” Shikamaru asked. “How late is it?”

. . .

He hissed at the view of pitch-black skies outside once they both exited the shop. “Why do we keep doing this?,” he asked tensely.

They walked with haste down the darkened street lit up by the occasional pole light. Neji walked closer to the Nara, “Someone is trailing us,” he alerted quietly.

“Just keep going. Tell me if they do something they shouldn’t be doing.”

“They’re gaining,” Neji whispered. The two quickened their steps but so did the person behind them. In fact, the man behind them picked up more speed than they did. Shikamaru didn’t need Neji to tell him to start running. He took off at the same time as the elder and didn’t slow down. They ran and ran through street after street and the man continued to gain on them. The problem was that they were nowhere near the house, so they’d have to improvise. Neither of them wished to turn around and confront the man because if he was anything like the first one they faced, then they would most certainly be killed.

“Come on!” Shikamaru rounded a corner into a new row of houses.

“Where are we going?” Neji asked.

Shikamaru led the male on to the porch of a fairly small home and banged on the door repeatedly, desperately, “come on, come on,” he begged. The door opened and in it stood a heavy-set woman with short dark hair.

“Shikamaru?” She asked, surprised to see the boy so late at night. Without sparing any further words, Shikamaru shoved his way in, pulling Neji along with him.

“Close the door!” the Nara exclaimed, and the woman did as told.

“What is going on? And why haven’t we seen you since you’ve been back?” She began an interrogation.

“We’re being chased,” he panted, collapsing in a dining chair. “Hyuga,” he managed to get out.

“Yes, I see there’s a Hyuga in my foyer, but that doesn’t answer any of my questions.”

“Shikamaru?” Choji walked in from the kitchen that neighbored the very entrance they had just about crashed into, “Neji?”

Shikamaru held up a hand telling them all to let him catch his breath first.

. . .

“Oh, that’s just horrible,” the woman shook her head, standing from the dining table having heard enough. The two had explained their entire situation to the Akimichi family.

“Wow,” Choza said as the back of the chair creaked from his weight leaning against it. He was taking it all in gradually.

“Well, you’ve got a place to stay the night. Sleep wherever, I don’t care. Eat whatever, have whatever just don’t go back outside. There is no way in Konoha that what these men are doing is legal. I cannot believe the chief of police told you that nonsense!” The woman went off.

Choza stood, “Stay as long as you need, boys. You now have a second home. Just stay away from windows and things like that, alright?”

“Yes, thank you, Mr. Akimichi,” Neji thanked.

“Don’t mention it. There’s plenty to eat,” he smiled, “You know us,” he patted his gut in unison with his wife. Choji shook his head and leaned against his hand clearly embarrassed by the couple.

”We’ll speak to the others about this. Surely there’s a way to get them off your backs,” Choza said.

. . .

  
The three boys made their way into Choji’s room.

“You guys can sleep in here if you want or take the couch, it’s up to you,” Choji offered.

“Thanks, man,” Shikamaru hung his head low in an exhausted manner.

“Hey, you’re never at home anymore what’s going on?” Choji pointed out.

“Oh, uh, we kinda bought a house sort of,” Shikamaru looked away knowing he was wrong for keeping such news to himself especially when it came to Choji. He knew how sensitive his friend was.

“What? And you didn’t tell me?” The large boy sounded upset. There it was. “Shikamaru when you left, I didn’t know what to think. It sucked to be honest. It sucked without you here. Believe it or not, I didn’t even eat barbecue like I usually do and that’s saying something,” Choji frowned thinking back on it.

“I’m sorry, man,” and the Nara meant it. He could tell he hurt the boy more than the Akimichi could really say, “I’m really sorry. It was a lame thing to do. It won’t happen again, though. From now on I won’t keep anything to myself anymore, okay?” He’s always known the guy to be a big softie, so he was usually more careful with him, but he had to admit it to himself that he hadn’t been the best friend as of late. He knew of how Choji was left out of everything as a child prior to Shikamaru befriending him in the academy. For him to move without notifying the Akimichi was incredibly inconsiderate.

“Well I guess that would explain why you two are always together now,” Choji pointed out through a mumble.

“Well yeah and we work a lot of the same jobs, too,” the shadow-nin added, dropping his hands in his pockets. He felt a crumbled wad of paper inside and pulled it from his pocket. He checked his other pocket and pulled out two more, “forgot I still had these samples.” He unwrapped them and held them out to look over all three at once.

“I like it,” Neji said. Shikamaru looked to him wondering which of the three he had meant. The Hyuga stepped up behind him and pointed to the one in the center. It was a sort of blue that was too dark to be considered white and too light to be considered a grey.

“Hm,” the Nara considered, “it’s cool. Okay, we’ll go with it,” just Neji expressing his fondness of the color made him like it a bit more than before. He tucked the chosen color back into his pocket and tossed the others into a small trashcan by the door. He then dropped himself on to Choji’s bed, “So what’s been going on?”

“Well, nothing much. I think your absences hit the girls the hardest, you know. Ino wasn’t functioning for some time after losing Asuma some months ago and then you,” Choji said.

Shikamaru’s lids drifted shut as tried to regulate the sting that had yet to dull at the mention of the man.

“TenTen has been acting _really_ weird and Hinata… she’s been no more present than you guys. I mean I’d see her around, but she always seemed preoccupied. She’d stare off a lot – _really_ unresponsive. Other than that, nothing’s really changed that’s worth mentioning. Oh! I’d visit your parents while you were gone and I saw them together a lot more than I used to which was nice,” he smiled.

“Mh,” Shikamaru stretched, shrugging any mention of his parents away.

“What about you guys?” Choji asked, sitting on the ground. He looked to each male as he swayed side to side.

The Nara sighed, “Nothing much. Just ran away like kids and came back. Went here and there.”

“Oh, okay,” Choji responded, looking down to his lap. His attention went to the sound of bed springs creaking as the shadow-nin rose to stand. He exited the room presumably to use the restroom. Neji followed and the Akimichi watched in confusion but stayed and sprawled himself out on the floor.

“Shikamaru,” Neji whispered behind the boy. The Nara looked to him.

“I’m just gonna take a piss, I’ll be right back, what is it?”

Neji looked to him blankly.

“Neji I really gotta go, can this wait?”

“You want to tell him?” The Hyuga asked.

Shikamaru stared in shock before closing his eyes and raising his brows, “I’m sorry?”

Neji came closer to him and lowered his voice even further, “About us,” he looked around to see if his parents were around.

“Well,” the Nara still couldn’t believe the elder was saying this, “yeah, well I mean are you sure?”   
  


Neji watched a light that danced in his eyes at his words. The Hyuga nodded wordlessly.

“Yeah,” the Nara agreed all over again in somewhat of a daze, “yeah,” the third time was more confident and it came with a smile.

Neji returned the smile briefly before the Nara closed himself off in the vanity. He crossed his arms and leaned his head against the wall unable to kill the nerve wracking sensation that began to spark within him. He began to regret his own words. He wished he had never offered to out themselves to the boy who was waiting just one room down. He closed his eyes and focused on steadying his breathing. There was a chance the Akimichi would not keep to himself about the matter. As long as someone besides he and Shikamaru knowing, there was always that chance that it could spread somewhere it had no business being. At the sound of the faucet water running, Neji swallowed thickly and leaned away from the wall. The door opened and he was met with an expression opposite of the turmoil Neji was suffering from within. Shikamaru was calm and collected as always. Nothing about the boy told Neji that he was having second thoughts much to the Hyuga’s disappointment. Still, the Hyuga stepped aside, allowing the Nara to take the lead.

“Choji?” Shikamaru called before stepping into the boy’s room, “Hey, man there’s something I need to…” He heard a snore come from the floor. He looked down to see Choji fast asleep where the two had left him minutes ago. “Oh,” the shadow-nin looked to Neji who still stood in the doorway, “Uh,” he sat on the bed and shrugged, “okay.” He crawled to the headboard of the bed and lied down for the night. Neji’s pulse began to fall as his nerves settled. He was relieved.

“Just lay down for now,” Shikamaru said as he stripped himself of his shirt and pulled the blanket up from where it accumulated at the foot of the bed. Neji began to seat himself on the floor when the Nara stopped him, “Up here.” Neji rose to his feet and walked over articles of clothing before making it to the opposite side of the bed. He peeled the comforter back and placed himself next to the Nara. Shikamaru wrapped an arm around the elder. At first Neji lied unmoving until he began to worry that someone may see them in the position.   
  


“Shikamaru,” he said quietly.

“Got it,” the Nara responded sleepily before releasing the Hyuga and turning on his side.

. . .

After easing himself from the mattress as quietly as he could, Shikamaru tip toed out of Choji’s room in search of a glass of water. He had a terrible habit of waking before sun rise, and it would contribute to his many unplanned naps. It was completely dark nonetheless he found his way to the cup cabinet. He was filling the glass with water from the kitchen sink when he heard footsteps approaching the room. He sipped the cool liquid when Choji rounded the corner, rubbing his eyes.

“Hey,” the large boy rasped.

Shikamaru swallowed a mouth full of water and leaned against the counter, “Hey.” Even after being separated for months, the Akimichi always had some sort of sense for when the Nara’s slumber was disrupted. Shikamaru only hoped that the internal alarm wasn’t functioning while he was away; the Akimichi would have gotten little to no sleep with how constantly they were on the move.

Choji went through the fridge for some minutes. It was incredibly dark and silent. Because the Akimichi already knew of the Nara’s tendencies to rise in the night, that much went unquestioned. It was silent as the boy searched the fridge for a fitting midnight snack. Failing to find one, he shut the fridge and searched through the cabinet for something dry.

“Neji and I are together,” Shikamaru said simply, abruptly.

Choji froze where he stood, reaching up with his hand on the cabinet door. His mind wondered what his friend had meant by it. He wondered how it came to be. He wondered many things as soon as the shadow-nin’s words reached his ears. Most of all, he wondered how such news would be taken by everyone else, especially the Nara’s parents. He wondered if he had told them just yet. Another long silence stretched out as the shadow-nin swirled the drink in his cup.

“Congratulations,” Choji said finally. He settled on grabbing a cup similar to the Nara and filling it with water. He turned to face his best friend of so many years and held the cup up, “To new beginnings.” He cheered quietly. Shikamaru smiled at the response and raised his glass.

“To new beginnings.”


	8. Chapter 8

Both Choji and Shikamaru found themselves awaking on the couch. They had spent all night catching up. A lot of their conversation was Shikamaru slowly easing into speaking of his partner. He told his best friend everything he admired about Neji and when it had all started and the moments they shared on their travels and the Akimichi had actively listened because he was excited for the Nara, he really, truthfully was. The conversation had revealed his genuine fondness of the Hyuga. Choji could see the rare excitement in his friend’s eyes and hear the energy in his tone of voice. It was something he never knew the Nara for, but it all meant that what he felt towards Neji was something strong, something that Asuma had felt for Kurenai. Shikamaru very clearly admired Neji deeply and no one could say otherwise after watching the boy speak of the Hyuga when he wasn’t present. Their discussion lasted until the earliest sun rays began to shine through the curtained windows. The two fell asleep briefly, but commotion in the kitchen rocked them into consciousness.

The two entered the kitchen, lack of sleep present on their groggy faces. The two then froze at the sight of both of their parents sitting together along with Ino’s. Everyone of them looked directly at the two boys who had just presented themselves. Shikamaru heard footsteps behind him. It was Neji who had just awoken to see what the noise was about. The shadow-nin knew that he was careful not to be too loud when he confessed to Choji the previous night, but he may not have been careful enough. His heartbeat rose to his throat at the sight of their parents staring him down. His mouth grew dry as the silence thickened. Just then, Ino’s mother rose from her seat and approached the boy, taking him into a hug.

“I’m so glad you’re safe, darling,” she said softly over his shoulder. “It’s a miracle their house was nearby. They came and alerted us first thing this morning about everything you two have been facing,” she placed her docile eyes on the Hyuga that silently stood behind him, “I’m so sorry you two have had to face all of this,” she placed a gentle hand against Shikamaru’s shocked face. Ino’s mother similar to Mrs. Akimichi had always been more motherly to the Nara than Yoshino. He felt more comfortable around them. As a kid, his thoughts would often be filled with either one of them. They showed him how he was supposed to be cared for. He developed a deep fondness for the two women and didn’t know how to treat it. He began to feel strange about the feeling as he grew. Still, when he visited either one of his teammates, he would hold sturdy, long-lasting conversations with their parents. Every now and then, his teammates would have to ask the boy if they could go play yet. Speaking to their parents wasn’t exactly their ideal way to spend a play date. There were times where he’d feel similarly about their fathers as well, and he supposed that was one of the reasons why he had grown so close to Asuma. He was that older male figure that he lack in many aspects of his life.  
  
Shikamaru hugged her back and tried to ignore what he considered to be a childish feeling inside of him.

“We’re alright,” he assured. He watched his mother who eyed him from the table. He knew she wanted to do something, but she was not in the place to do it. The look on her face showed the tension between them, but he ignored it.

“Those damn Hyuga,” Shikaku cursed, slamming a fist to the table.

“Calm down, Shikaku, It’s times like this when a level head counts the most,” Inoichi said.

“Calm?” Choji’s mother exclaimed, “They’re manhunting our children!”

“Our?” Yoshino butted in, “They’re after Shikamaru!”

“Truly, they seem to be after Neji, Yoshino. Shikamaru is only a friend associated with him. Really, the Hyuga could come after any of our children if they feel they’re related to the boy,” Mrs. Yamanaka informed over her shoulder.

Yoshino rested her forehead against her hand, clearly distressed. Mrs. Akimichi rubbed her back gently to comfort her as best she could though she knew it did little to calm her typical behavior. Mrs. Yamanaka’s words sunk in and Shikamaru widened his eyes knowing how the information would affect Neji. He turned quickly and watched Neji whose eyes were glued to the wall adjacent to him. “Neji…” the Nara began. The Hyuga looked to him and turned to leave when he was grabbed. “No,” Shikamaru shook his head.

“She is right. They are only looking to harm me. They would not care if you roamed freely throughout the village. I am sure that when you are alone, you do not see the Hyuga like I do when I am on my own.” Neji was right. The incidents only occurred when he was around. Shikamaru was fine on his own. He had no white eyes staring him down and sabotaging the things around him. His surroundings were no different from how they were prior to their escape. However, it was not enough for him to want to leave the elder and continue on his lonesome in a different direction. In a way he felt that he was a sort of armor for the Hyuga male. He felt that the clan would not try anything too harsh in his presence now that they were in the village; eyes as well as witnesses were everywhere. He didn’t want Neji to walk out. Shikamaru closed his eyes and shook his head. “Nara, do not be difficult.”

“Don’t tell me not to be difficult when you aren’t being any easier about this,” the shadow-nin ordered.

Neji freed his arm and turned towards him, “You know he is right. You are smart, deemed a genius. I am more than sure that you have figured it out yourself long ago. Do not act like it is anything new.” The elder hissed.

“No, _you_ don’t act like it’s anything brand new. We’ve had this conversation billions of times. How many times do I have to tell you? Remember the motel? Our first night. You told me to get lost. Remember throughout the entire trip you repeated yourself over and over and over. What did I say each time? Huh?” Shikamaru looked into Neji’s eyes with an intensity.

“You told me of how guilty you would feel if your mistake got me killed, but we are home now. There is no longer any risk of you making a mistake that would put me in danger.”

“Leaving you alone would be a risk, a mistake,” Shikamaru said quickly. Neji closed his eyes. “Maybe, if I’m with you, they’d think twice before doing anything. I mean we are in the village. There are eyes everywhere.”

“Shikamaru,” Neji warned.

“They’d think twice before coming at you.”

“Shikamaru,” Neji breathed out before slowly opening his eyes.

“Then, it’s settled. We aren’t talking about this anymore,” the Nara finalized before walking out of the kitchen leaving them all surprised at the boy’s unusual emotional display. Choji watched the ground knowing the reason behind his strong feelings. The parents were dumbfounded.

“That was… different for Shikamaru,” Shikaku said.

“He only gets that worked up over people he really cares for,” Mrs. Yamanaka said from behind her husband’s chair. Shikaku looked at the woman. The comment had showed him just how little he knew of his own boy compared to the woman. He rolled his eyes and lowered his hand from his goatee, clearing his throat to gain the other’s attention.

“We know the Hyuga are abusing their power. They’re using it to come after Shikamaru and the other boy,” he began.

“Neji,” Choji interrupted. Shikaku eyed the boy through lazy eyes.

“ _Neji_ ,” the Nara head corrected. He traced his thoughts out with his fingers against the table., “We know that they’ve tried to kill both of them and would probably try it again. At this point it’s only a matter of time before they try to manipulate the next closest thing to bring them hell. We are those next closest things.”

“Are we sure they’d kill them in cold blood?” Yoshino asked with her hands massaging one another nervously.

“They don’t even care for their own, branding them like pigs and torturing the lot of them,” Mrs. Akimichi pointed out.

Neji backed away from the room and made his way towards Choji’s bedroom. The conversation faded with distance. The Nara followed him, deciding there was nothing left of the conversation for either of them.

“I say we make ourselves known so they don’t try anything crazy,” he heard Mrs. Akimichi mutter before entering the boy’s room.

Neji watched Shikamaru pace back and forth next to the bed. “What were you thinking?” Neji asked closing the door behind him.

“Don’t start,” the Nara dismissed him.

“Don’t start what? Why did you grab me like that? Why did you make a large scene over me?” Neji questioned quietly. He was displeased by the Nara’s outburst. It made them the center of attention and gave those who watched ample opportunity to spot them out. The male fussed over him like something precious he’d never let go of and it led on to too much. Most of all, Neji hated the attention. He couldn’t do anything in that moment other than be gripped by the upper arm as the boy argued over something that could have been discussed calmly elsewhere.

“Yeah, people do that when they’re worried about someone they _care_ for!” The Nara whispered impatienty, “Surprise!”

Neji’s mouth twitched and he spun to rip the door open. He sped past Choji who stood wordlessly in the hall and out of the house entirely.

“Shit,” Shikamaru sighed. He had seen his mother come out of him just then. He leaned over to pick up his discarded shirt from the night before and began wrestling with it as he ran through the house. His father stood before the door after closing it behind the Hyuga.

“What’s going on, boy?” Shikaku asked cooly. Shikamaru tried to get past the man without giving an answer only to be gripped by the wrist, “answer me,” he demanded lowly, staring deeply into his son’s conflicted eyes. Shikamaru rubbed his hands down his face.

He swayed from foot to foot restlessly, “I just gotta go.”

His father watched him for some seconds before stepping aside, allowing his son to make his way from the house.

He rushed down the front steps and saw that the Hyuga hadn’t gotten far before he stopped. “Neji?” He called out, “Neji, I’m sorry. That was the dumb. I just meant...” He looked ahead to see a number of Hyuga who wandered the streets. The area was teeming with them. Some were more discreet than others. Some didn’t even bother to hide their stare. He looked to Neji who was frozen in place at the sight. It had been the most they’ve seen yet. It was the most Neji had seen in a long time. They just about blended into the crowd, but Neji was adept at spotting his own people from a mile away without needing to use his dojutsu. “Neji,” Shikamaru said uneasily, “Come on, you don’t have to be alone. That’s just too many, you’d be dead in a second.” And Neji knew it. The Hyuga swallowed and took a step back. He turned to walk in the opposite direction. The shadow-nin stared at one of the Hyuga from afar with a look of disdain. The man stood dead still with his hard stare fixed on the Nara. His hair and robes flowed with the wind giving him an intimidating air. Shikamaru knew the issue would grow to something that not only the two of them could manage at that rate. He turned and began to trail behind Neji who had finally, for the first time that morning, stopped and waited for Shikamaru to join him.


	9. Chapter 9

They had to take a longer, alternative route home; the Hyuga clan learned their typical passage through the village. It had been a long day of them coming across streets populated by Hyuga and looking for another one to take its place. The walk home totaled two hours when it could have taken twenty minutes on any other day. By the time they walked into the house, both males were worn out from work and the high level of awareness they had to keep up along the way. They both eased themselves on to the couch and stared out of the windows that opened up to the back yard. It was mostly grass with a single tree and small pond and was closed off by a wooden fence. Neji let his head fall against the Nara next to him. Shikamaru scooped him up and lied down so the Hyuga could lie on top of him as they watched the grass sway together. Both shinobi were still a bit on edge, but the smallest bit if tension was released at of the reassuring contact of the other. It eased them just enough to allow the stillness of the room to remind them of the hours of sleep they lost the previous night. A cloud had drifted before the sun, shading the backyard from its shine and dimming the cool room drastically. It served to further urge the two to rest their eyes. They were tired. They worked around the clock and if they weren’t working then they were running and if they weren’t running then they were hiding in more ways than one. There was a reason the Hyuga clan had not went ahead and invaded their home just yet. The law had to be on the boys’ side to an extent, so they found comfort in that.

Shikamaru rose his hand that dangled over the edge of the couch and placed it on the Hyuga’s back. He rubbed it easily, comfortingly. He wanted Neji to rest. The elder had drifted some time before the Nara, but it wasn’t long before Shikamaru followed.

. . .

“Shikamaru! Shikamaru!”

He awoke to muffled noises and blurry figures. Someone repeatedly slapped his face to bring him back to his surroundings.

“Oh, thank the Gods!” Izumo exclaimed over him. The Nara groggily sat up against the cool pavement underneath him. He looked around to find himself outside on the house’s front doorsteps. It was dark. The shadow-nin shook his dizziness away.

“What…” the Nara coughed a couple of times. Izumo sat him up.

“Easy,” the brunette said.

“Shikamaru,” Neji exhaled. He held the boy tightly, his breathing erratic.

“What…” Shikamaru repeated. “Was I bitten again?” he asked.

“I’m sorry,” Neji muttered over his shoulder, “I’m so sorry.”

“I said no more apologies,” Shikamaru put plainly as his head hung numbly. He looked up to see Ginji staring into the house.

“Carbon Monoxide,” the old man said, “I can’t tell you where from, but the house was filled with it when we came in. We were coughing and saw you two barely hanging on to one another. You were tangled, just about ready to slip away before we drug you out of there. Kotetsu here put his all into giving you two CPR. He saved you,” he explained.

"Thank you," Shikamaru breathed out, terror rippling through him. "Thank you," his eyes centered on the man who had saved them both from peril. Kotetsu returned an exhausted smile and salute.

Neji held Shikamaru tighter. Nothing the Nara said would make him feel less guilty than he already did. Shikamaru stared at the sky before him in shock. They could have both died in their sleep. He didn’t know if anyone would have ever known the truth had they slipped away for good. Even if they reported it, there wouldn’t be any proof. It would be dismissed as just another flaw of the old house, but he refused to listen to Neji’s reasoning. Still, the Hyuga apologized as if he already knew it was no accident. Neji let out a cough. Shikamaru pat his back still unable to wrap his mind around how he could have died just like that. He no longer knew what to do. The clan was not afraid to kill. They’ve proven that much. It was no longer safe there. They had to relocate.

. . .

All four shinobi cooped themselves up in a single bedroom that belonged to Izumo and Kotetsu.

“Do you want to switch?” Izumo asked Kotetsu who watched through the window without batting an eye.

“No, sleep,” the man declined.

Izumo stood up and placed his hands on the man’s shoulders, prying him from his prior position of folded arms paired with poor posture. Kotetsu straightened his back and dropped his arms with a tired sigh. Izumo gently kissed his temple and insisted further that he take over watch duty. The raven-haired male eventually settled and allowed the brunette to take over. Kotetsu lied on the bed and didn’t take long to doze off. Neither of them noticed that Shikamaru had been awake, watching the exchange from where he held Neji as they rested on the floor side by side. He looked to Neji whose face was relaxed from being in a state of deep sleep. He kept his eyes on his features feeling as though if he were to fall asleep that the male would not be there when he reopened his eyes. He stroked a few hairs behind the Hyuga’s ear gently enough not to wake him and prayed that nothing would take him away, that nothing would hurt him. He would do anything in his power to make sure nothing happened to the male.

. . .

The younger pair of shinobi stayed shacked up in the elders’ apartment for days when Kotetsu barged into the small living space followed by Izumo.

“Guys, something serious is going on,” he said setting paper bags of groceries down next to the front door.

Neji, who had been reading on the couch looked to the two. Shikamaru stepped in from the bathroom with a toothbrush hanging from his mouth, “What’s going on?”

“It’s like a clan war out there. Well – okay – so it’s like,” his eyes wandered trying to mentally align the details chronologically, “so it’s just really tense out there. I mean everywhere we went there were clusters of different clan members grouped together. It’s like they took over certain spots in town. I mean, no fights broke out that I know of, but you’d see a bunch of Yamanaka and not too far from them would be a bunch of Nara and past them a bunch of Akimichi. They were all standing around in the roads. It was almost like they were looking for trouble,” Kotetsu explained.

“Almost like they were looking for Hyuga?” Shikamaru asked before walking back into the bathroom to spit the toothpaste into the sink.

“Come to think of it,” Izumo placed his thumb under his chin in thought, “We didn’t really see any out today.”

“Oh _yeah_ ,” Kotetsu realized, “You’re right!”

“That’s what I was trying to avoid,” the Nara said, walking back in. “I pushed off telling our parents for some time because I knew them. I knew they’d do something like this. They’re all clan heads,” he pinched the bridge of his nose.

“I say let the war begin. The Hyuga have been at the top for too long. They’ve abused the power to do shady things. They need to be humbled and be held accountable for everything they do,” Kotetsu said.

“Don’t you see that with a cold war comes division? All we can do is hope that a fight doesn’t break out,” Shikamaru argued, “But, they backed us into a corner. We didn’t have much of a choice other than to tell them,” his gaze dropped to the floor.

They all sat on it. It could be the beginning of clan of war. It may not be bloody, but it could have a great impact on Konoha. The village held many great clans that have coexisted for generations without one trying to get the jump on the other. However, recent events could change it all. They knew the Hyuga were above the law, but that did not necessarily apply to the other clans. The Hyuga started out by fighting for a right to brand and enslave their own. Once that right was granted in exchange for their alliance, they began to knock other restrictions down one by one until the police force no longer dug their noses in Hyuga affairs. The other clans stayed silent and did not meddle in anything that had Hyuga written on it. They minded their own, but all had a mutual, unspoken distrust for the clan. The feeling was nothing deeper but a surface feeling that no other clan could ever really shake.

“What do we do?” Neji asked.

“We need to diffuse it,” Shikamaru said as he placed his feet into his sandals.

“Where are you going?” The Hyuga questioned as he rose from his seat.

“Stay here, I’m going to talk to my dad and see what the whole thing’s about,” he said unenthusiastically before walking out and closing the door behind him. It was a bright day and after being locked in the apartment for a while, it nearly burned his eyes. He walked through the streets and saw everything the two had told them about. There were Akimichi filling up each seat at Ichiraku. Further down the road were a number of Yamanaka loitering outside of Ino’s flower shop. Said girl ran out of the building with a loud ding of the bell and was followed by Choji.

“Shikamaru!” She called.

“No!” Choji yelled after her.

She threw herself on to the Nara, “Congratulations!”

Choji froze and took a step back upon catching Shikamaru’s eyes.

“You told her?” He asked pitifully.

“I thought she should know!” Choji defended.

“Yeah, that’s fine it’s just that there are certain people that I didn’t _want_ to know about it.”

“To know what?” Sakura asked, seemingly appearing from thin air.

“He’s dating Neji!” Ino squealed. Shikamaru stood stunned. His lids still heavy with boredom but his lips tight with mild irritation.

“Really?” Inoichi made his way over from the flower stands. He was the one who could make the shadow-nin’s stomach sink. He didn’t plan on the man finding out this way and this soon.

“Yeah!” Ino exclaimed.

Inoichi lifted the boy in his arms and spun him around, “My boy’s a man!” He cheered. While high in the air, Shikamaru noticed a number of heads had turned their way, one of them bearing pale eyes. “No wonder you reacted the way you did in the kitchen the other morning!”

“Uh, yeah, drop me.”

Inoichi did as told and released the boy, still beaming brightly. “Oh! How is the Nara clan heir going to work when you’re older?”

Shikamaru was more focused on relocating the one Hyuga he saw watching him from the crowd, but he couldn’t find him. “Shit,” he cursed.

“Do your parents know?” Inoichi asked excitedly.

“No, and I’d like to keep it that way,” Shikamaru grumbled. “Where is he anyway? – my dad.”

“He should be at the lab, I think. I’m not sure. So, what’s the ceremony going to be like?”

“Ah!” Ino squealed, locking hands with her overjoyed father, “Please say floral! I can see lilac flowers and an ombre to darker indigos overhead and…”

Before the two realized it, Shikamaru had left in search of his father. Choji watched his friend nervously before catching up to him, “Shikamaru, I’m sorry,” he apologized.

Shikamaru spun on his heel, making Choji come to an abrupt stop, "Neji doesn't want the information out there. Now that it's in the worst hands,” he eyed the social butterflies that conversed energetically some buildings down, "We can't really be sure that the information will stay put." It was a lost cause now that Ino knew. He sighed after catching sight of how ashamed his friend was of his own mistake. Choji regretted it, that much was clear. The pitiful display calmed the Nara from his slight annoyance, "Look, I know I didn't tell you to keep quiet about it, that's on me. Just don't tell anyone else okay?" 

Choji nodded keeping his eyes centered on the street beneath him.

. . .

Shikaku carefully dissected the carcass of a deer on the center counter top when he heard the front door open and close own the hall. He turned to the lab door and lowered his medical mask. On cue, his son walked right in followed by the Akimichi boy. He knew why his son was there.

“Shikamaru, how are you?” He said calmly – not exactly sounding to be excited to see his son that’s been missing for a couple days or upset that he barged in during an organ extraction.

“What are you doing?” Shikamaru asked lowly.

“What’s it look like? Use that brain of yours, boy,” he said pointing the dull end of his scalpel to his head. He turned back to the animal that sat dead on the counter top, intending to end the discussion there before it could turn into anything else, but he continued to feel his son’s presence behind him. He sighed and turned towards him, removing his personal protective equipment. “You have my attention.”

“Glad,” his son said.

“Mh,” Shikaku grunted.

“What game are you trying to play?” The boy asked directly.

“I just had some men roam the streets and the other two clans decided to join in is all,” the man said lazily.

“Have you tried reaching authorities?” Shikamaru hoped that if three clan heads filed complaints that the chief of police would be more willing to listen.

“You know just as well as I do that no amount of police would help out. They just about kiss their asses,” Shikaku shot down. “Look, I know what you’re thinking. You don’t want to start a clan war. Yeah, believe me I thought about it too, but hey,” he swayed over to his son, placing a hand against his shoulder, “Is it working?” He whispered, locking eyes with the boy.

Shikamaru shrugged his touch away before exiting the laboratory. Choji followed silently.

“Shikamaru, Choji, hey,” a certain Inuzuka approached them on the back of his large hound. “The hell is going on?”

Choji could tell the Nara didn’t feel like being bothered so he took it upon himself to answer, “The Hyuga clan.”

“They’re still givin’ you guys trouble? It makes sense now,” he said, sliding off of Akamaru, “I heard about the things that happened. They didn’t think trying to kill you was enough?” He growled.

“Kiba, back off,” Shikamaru warned.

“Hell, no! They tried to kill you guys more than once I’m sure. And, besides, I’m tired of seeing those guys acting like they own the streets,” he banged his fists together before mounting the canine, “They need to be knocked down a few notches.”

“Kiba,” the Nara groaned. Before he could get another word in, the boy was racing down the street on Akamaru. The shadow-nin watched the distance grow between them. There was truly no going back. Whether it be physical or tension alone, a clan war was on the rise all because of two shinobi who decided to run away one night.


	10. Chapter 10

“I thought you were gonna tell them to back off,” Kotetsu said, opening a can of peaches with a knife. Izumo took the can from the man and used an actual can opener to avoid possible injuries.

“They weren’t gonna listen,” he mumbled as he lied on the couch with his head rested on Neji’s leg. He sighed, “Neji I’m so sorry,” he moaned tiredly.

“For what? You tried. It is not your fault, Shikamaru,” Neji ran a hand through the Nara’s loose locks triggering the younger to close his eyes.

“Oi, watch it!” They heard from outdoors. All heads turned towards the door. They raced out and looked over the balcony to see two men circling one another. The closer they looked the more they noticed about the two. One had the markings of an Inuzuka the other stood in a fighting stance similar to a Hyuga. The four heard barking and looked down the street to find a pack of large ninja hounds racing towards the two. They surrounded the Hyuga and once they tried to pounce, the man spun in rotation, flinging the Inuzuka members away from him before making his escape.

The four spectators rushed back inside hoping they weren’t noticed by anyone nearby. They were all in shock.

“Damn, it’s getting physical,” Shikamaru cursed.

“Yeah maybe we should stop it,” Kotetsu said, “I regret my word choice from the other day, I did _not_ mean it.”

“How?” Izumo asked. They all held a silence. Kotetsu by the door, Izumo behind the counter, Neji stood before Shikamaru who pondered on the couch.

“We need to go to the center of the problem,” the Nara decided. “We need to go the Hyuga for once instead of them coming to us.”

“Yeah, and let them kill you in their foyer,” Izumo deadpanned.

“Maybe,” Shikamaru shrugged, “All I know is that this has gotten to be a real drag.”

“Shikamaru, I’m not sure about that idea,” Neji said.

“We’ll go together. All this passive aggressive-mean mugging-dominate the streets shit is tiresome. We need to confront the issue right where it stands. We’re all we got. Something tells me Tsunade won’t be as much help. Hell, she’s the one who suspended us just for trying not to get killed,” he stood and looked to the Hyuga before him. “You know there’s no other way. We’ve already tried running. Didn’t work out too well.” The look in Neji’s eyes told him that the male had mentally acknowledged the point and would not oppose. “You two be safe. I know you housing us got you guys involved so watch your back while we’re gone,” he said as he pinned his hair up into its signature style, “Hopefully we’ll be back soon,” he mumbled the last part as he and Neji took off through the front door.

. . .

The walk through the village had been heavily uncomfortable. There seemed to be fewer civilians than clan members in the village. Even the citizens began to feel the air thicken as the clans slowly grew closer to taking eachother out. They watched an Inuzuka growl at a Yamanaka which was warning enough that time was running thin before someone crossed the line. They needed to end it and now. They came across a Hyuga down a more empty passage through the village and just as they expected, the man followed them. Shikamaru groaned but didn’t give the man the time of day. He allowed him to tail them all the way to the Hyuga residence. The Nara casually knocked on the door. Neji seemed to be more anxious than the shadow-nin. Even after breaking away from the clan, all of his conditioning was still in effect and his mind told him that he was far out of place just by being where they are with the intention to speak to the clan’s head directly. It lowered his confidence drastically and he swallowed in response. “Relax, they don’t own you,” the shadow-nin reminded him without taking his eyes from the door. He knocked a second time, but louder.

The handle turned and it opened, revealing Hiashi Hyuga, head of the clan. He looked down on the two. He had not expected to see either one of them especially his nephew. “I have shunned you from ever coming here again. You are bold to step foot on our property,” he said.

“Cool, Neji go stand in the street so I can talk to him,” Shikamaru said calmly earning a surprised look from Hiashi. His dismissiveness was unexpected.

“I would like it if you both took your leave now,” the man said.

“And I’d like it if your little friends would stop following us around,” the shadow-nin returned. Neji lowered his head immediately

“Neji, leave at once,” the older man ordered, and the boy was going to comply.

“Neji, stay,” Shikamaru countered. The Hyuga clan head narrowed his pale eyes.

“What are you here for?” Hiashi asked finally.

“Just wanna talk,” Shikamaru shrugged lazily.

. . .

They sat on opposite sides of a tea table on the traditional wooden flooring. Both Hyuga sat on their knees. Shikamaru sat more comfortably with one knee drawn up to rest his elbow on. He couldn’t care less for manners in the house of people who couldn’t care less for their own. It started as a stare off. Each person knew why the other was there and what they had done or wanted.

“What do you want?” Shikamaru asked anyways.

Hiashi closed his eyes, seemingly meditating on the question. “I want for Neji to return to the Hyuga clan,” he said.

“Yeah, right. What do you want?” Shikamaru repeated.

“It is true,” he looked to the shadow-nin, “I want Neji back in the clan. I do not wish for him to be cast aside without a name,” he explained.

“If that were true, why’d you try to off us ever since we’ve been back? Hell, you sent a guy after us in the Land of Hot Water, which I had to kill by the way because he was beating Neji to a pulp,” Shikamaru spat. From the man’s reaction he could tell that it was news to him that he had been the one to kill the Hyuga in the old run-down village all that time back. Hiashi looked to Neji.

“I did not send him out there to have Neji killed,” Hiashi growled.

“I don’t believe you,” Shikamaru leaned over the table, “I don’t _trust_ you. We’ve caught nothing but hell dealing with you people. We can’t go out at night without one of your _men_ chasing us in the dark. Tell the truth, was it you behind the carbon monoxide poisoning that just about killed us? Is that why you were so surprised to see us at your front doorstep?”

Hiashi’s eyes were rounded by surprise. He then frowned and looked away, lowering his head. Shikamaru sat back and watched the man in disgust. Hiashi then stood and walked out of the room. Neji finally raised his head for the first time since they had entered the room and looked to the boy beside him who watched his uncle walk away from the conversation. Shikamaru released a harsh breath from his nose before quickly rising to his feet and following after the clan head. Neji tailed the Nara.

“Shikamaru,” Neji called quietly. It did nothing to stop the male in front of him, “Shikamaru,” he repeated. It seemed as if Hiashi allowed the boys to follow him. He did nothing to stop it, he didn’t tell them to leave nor did he lay a hand on either one of them. Neji was a second away from repeating himself when he saw Hinata emerge from a room further down the hall. The girl looked at him in shock before lowering her head and going back into the room. He continued to follow the two men. His head turned to watch Hinata’s door as they passed it. The sight had been sudden and quick but reminded him of how much he had missed the girl. He turned to face forward to see his uncle opening the door to a back room that he was unaware of for the many years he had been in and out of the residence. The door creaked open and in it was a bed with white sheets occupied by a man with hair just as white.

“Father,” Hiashi spoke. The elderly man opened his eyes and they were the whitest pair the Nara had seen yet. He wondered if it was due to the Byuakugan or a sign that he was near the end. The old man did not speak, but he did stare at Neji. “Have you been making orders without my knowledge?” Hiashi questioned.

“Show respect when you speak to me,” the old man ordered. Hiashi kneeled before the man’s bed.

“Forgive me, father,” Hiashi apologized before rising to look to the man once more. He waited for the elder to answer his question. The old man closed his eyes for some minutes making the rest unsure if he was going to answer the question or not, but much like Neji did Ginji, Hiashi did not let up. He stood there and eyed his father with each minute that ticked by.

“Yes,” he answered.

“What is your reasoning?” Hiashi asked immediately.

“Because you failed to take action! Like always, I had to come behind you and fix your mistakes, harden you! You were ready to let the boy roam free having unlocked the secret behind freeing himself from the curse mark which could have undermined everything our ancestors built!” The elder shouted.

“I died,” Neji said. Everyone looked to him. “I died unintentionally, and Shikamaru revived me just in time. That is how the curse mark was broken,” he admitted. There was silence as each of them went off into their own trains of thought on the matter.

“Speak when you are spoken to, child. Regardless, you should be held accountable for not bringing this to Hiashi’s attention immediately!” The elder stated.

“Father, you say this would undermine everything our ancestors have built. I believe it only reveals what they have corrupted,” Hiashi said firmly.

“How dare you, boy,” the old man grumbled.

“Do not address me as boy. You had your time to fix this, but you only hardened it and tried to instill it in me. I put the clan before my own brother, and I regret it every day of my life. I do not wish to add to it. I have tried to abide by your rules, your father’s rules, his father’s rules, but they are morally incorrect. I only followed you as a young man in fear of you turning your back on me like you did Hizashi, in fear of you having me casted aside and done in with a simple order, but no more. I am clan head and your time is dwindling. I no longer need your approval, nor do I fear what commands you make behind my back. Order the Hyuga to turn against me if you wish, but I will no longer do your bidding, no longer will I be a puppet in your schemes. You let your son go with ease, scolded your granddaughter for not being a cold-blooded killer, now you demand that your grandson be killed simply for nearly dying months ago. Do you not see the error in your ways? Do you not see why you will die alone?”

Neji watched the ground through round eyes. Shikamaru was less familiar with the clan’s boundaries but he knew that many lines were crossed just then. He felt out of place at that moment. He didn’t know what was to come next.

“You failing to realize what I had done to keep the clan in check goes to show how you are not as involved in your role as clan head as you should have been. Perhaps I selected the wrong son,” the elder said calmly.

The old man simply closed his eyes and continued to sit idly in the white bed. Hiashi narrowed his own and turned to leave. The two younger shinobi followed and Hiashi locked the door behind him to ensure that his father could no longer whisper ill wishes into the ears of clan members. He then bowed lightly before the two.

“I apologize greatly for everything the two of you have gone through. Our clan's corrupted ways know no boundaries and have apparently grown to affect those outside of our own people," he said addressing Shikamaru's involvement, "Neji, when I told you I cared for you all those years ago on that field, I meant it sincerely. I do not wish for you to face hardships when you have done nothing to deserve it,” Hiashi said. Neji was was unsure of how to respond. His uncle sighed at the sight of the boy he felt he had stranded so many years ago.

“Lord Hiashi…” His nephew began.

“Do not call me that, Neji. The title only sickens me,” Hiashi stood. He walked past the boy before pausing. “Things will change, Neji.” With that he walked further into the house leaving the two to think over what he could have possibly meant. The scene had been wildly unorthodox for Neji who stood still as his mind began to deny that anything would truly change; it was too hard to imagine. However, the emotion in his uncle's eyes had been something alien to him. It was a gaze that displayed genuine regret. Things will change is what his uncle said.

Things will change.


	11. Chapter 11

Neji sat in the dining seating area awaiting his cousin to walk through the restaurant's doors at any moment. She seemed to be running behind by some minutes, but he didn’t mind. He was more excited than he anticipated to be able to see his cousin again after being prohibited to do so for nearly a month. He missed the girl greatly.

Just then, he heard the noises from the outside world become clear, alerting him that the door had been opened. Neji couldn’t help but look. Surely enough, there entered Hinata. She seemed to be carrying something in her arms which may have been the reason for her delay. His eyes widened with anticipation and he rose from his seat to meet the girl halfway. She moved the large box to sit underneath her arm and opened her mouth to greet the male, but instead, Neji embraced her in a hold that was long overdue. Hinata had not expected the straightforward gesture or any at all. She had expected a more casual, calm greeting but the embrace was tight, firm, one from someone who had been longing for another for an extensive amount of time, and her cousin did nothing to hide that it was what he had been feeling for the months they had been separated. She wrapped her free arm under his and placed it on his shoulder as she sunk into his presence.

“Hi, Neji,” she finally got to say through a warm smile. He released the girl and carried her hefty item to their table. “How are you?” She asked as she took her seat across from the male. She admired how his features were softened by genuine feeling he would often deny in the past if it were ever brought up. It was a very welcoming first and automatically told the girl that he has in fact doing just fine. She giggled.

“What?” Neji asked honestly.

“Nothing,” she lowered the hand she used to hide the extent of her smile, “You just seem like you’ve changed,” her eyes rounded with immediate regret at her wording. She waved her hands frantically, “No, I mean not in a bad way!” She calmed down, “You just seem more…”

“Here?” He tried.

The girl lowered her hands to her lap and nodded after considering the word. He was more here. He seemed more involved in the moment compared to his usual indifference. “Oh, this,” she pulled the item to sit in between them. It appeared to be a rather large box that was nicely decorated to present itself as a gift. “It’s from my father,” she said quietly. “He knows that no amount of gifts could make up for everything in the past,” she looked away, “but he wants to do the right thing and so he's discussing breaking the curse mark and ending the separation of the two houses of Hyuga. The gift is only a small part of what he felt he should do at least. I helped him pick it out, so if you don’t like it, don’t blame it on him,” she smiled softly.

Neji doubted the weight of her words and how true they would prove to be in the long run. Still, Hiashi continued to surprise Neji even after leaving the Hyuga residence two days prior. Neji did not feel as though the man had to give him a gift, really. He was not used to things being provided to him which is why he had typically ignored his own birthdays in the past. All he wanted was for his old home life to end, but now he was tilting his head at a white box with a pale pink wrapper tagged by his name written in black ink. He began to unwrap it carefully when he heard his cousin’s whisper of a giggle again.

“You don’t have to preserve the wrapper,” she said, “It’s okay, rip it.”

And so Neji began to tear it, disregarding the package’s neatness until he got down to the box itself which appeared to be a white, china dish set supposedly for the new house. “Thank you,” he said in awe as he studied the photos of the set inside. The set’s elegance and simplicity were truly something to behold.

“Underneath it,” she said.

He lifted the heavy box and set it to the side to spot an old, ragged, leather book in its place. He was clueless, nonetheless he lifted the small book and opened it to see its pages were clearly victims of water damage and some of the ink was smudged from page to page. Still, most of it he could make out perfectly. As he paged through it at random, he finally stopped on the opening page.

“Hizashi’s journal,” he read aloud. He looked to his cousin who had a sweet yet somber look in her eye.

“I walked into my father’s room and found him reading it. He told me what it was. He said that you didn’t know about it,” the girl explained as Neji stared at the book as if it was something that he had been missing for years.

“I never knew he had one,” Neji admitted quietly.

“Father had read it billions of times,” she smiled shyly, “He thought he should have given it to you long ago.”

. . .

Shikamaru stood before a wall in the living room and imagined what it would look like once they were done painting. The cans of paint sat on the floor next to the couch and had yet to be opened.

“Why don’t you just paint it already?” Ginji asked as he crept from his room on his cane.

“I was gonna do it with Neji,” Shikamaru said. “I suck at painting,” he said before scanning the room for a utensil.

The old man let out a rough chuckle, “So he’s gonna fix your mistakes,” He lowered himself on to the couch as easily as his old joints would let him, “and when is he getting back?” He asked.

“Uh,” the Nara looked out of the living room’s tall windows to see that it was nearly sundown, “don’t know,” he admitted, finally locating a pencil.

“Well, damn,” Ginji began picking crumbs from his shirt, “you don’t think he’s out kicking it do you?”

“What?” Shikamaru asked from the kitchen area. His tone suggested he was truly disinterested in what the man was getting on about.

“You know,” the old man smiled dirtily.

“No, I don’t,” the shadow-nin walked down the single step into the den and sat before the closest wall to him. He began to sketch at random since the color would be disappearing soon anyways.

“With someone else,” the man finally cut to the chase.

Shikamaru did not answer and continued to sketch figures. He furrowed his brows and shook his head slowly at the preposterous question. He was confident that Neji was not the type to toss himself around like that. Then, the idea of Neji with someone else began to creep into his mind. It bothered him and took his focus away from his artwork. Just as it always did, his mind began to wander. He couldn’t think of anyone that he would ever have to worry about, so he wasn’t exactly sure as to why he had a bitter feeling for a brief moment. His mind pressed on and began to question why Ginji would suggest a thing as if there was something the old man knew that he didn’t.

Neji walked through the front door getting Shikamaru to nearly jump to his feet. “Hey,” Shikamaru greeted. His eyes flickered down to the book that had a hold of Neji’s attention. “What’s that?”

Neji looked to him with look of amazement.

“Was it something I said?” The Nara joked through a monotone. Neji shut the book, using a finger to make sure he didn’t lose his place.

“It’s my father’s old journal,” the Hyuga answered. Then, Shikamaru’s eyes widened as well.

“Woah,” the Nara breathed out, lowering his hand from the back of his neck.

“I have not gotten far into it, but he is currently talking about a girl that he has grown fond of,” Neji explained as he reopened the journal.

Shikamaru was really happy for the male, he just didn’t know what to say, “That’s great,” he smiled with excitement. He knew that the little bit of insight would be some sort of closure for Neji.

“Lord Hiashi gifted it to me along with these,” Neji lifted the box he held under one arm and dropped it into Shikamaru’s all while keeping his nose in his father’s journal.

“A dish set,” Shikamaru observed.

“A damn nice one,” Ginji commented from where he watched the two over the back of the sofa.

“Yes, I will have to thank him later,” Neji said, “You can set it down, I will arrange it tomorrow.” He then walked off into their bedroom, never lowering the book.

“He’s gonna end up in a ditch if he doesn’t watch where he’s going,” Ginji grumbled.

Shikamaru placed the large box on the kitchen table and began unpacking it regardless of Neji’s spoken plans to attend to the task himself, “Yeah, but he needed it.”

“Needed to fall in a ditch?” The old man questioned.

“No, I mean…”

“I knew what you meant, I’m just kidding you,” the old man said before standing. He walked over to the boy who had begun placing the dish set in the cabinets of the kitchen side of the room before slamming his hand against the boy’s back. It had been unexpected and almost made the Nara drop the teacup he was holding. “You two are doing great and are gonna do even greater with time,” he said with a sure smile, “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going out for a quick sip with my grandson and his… friend,” he said.

“Kotetsu?”

“Yeah, that one,” he pointed his cane at the Nara. “I know I’m the bad guy, but the idea is still a bit much to comprehend for someone who’s a bit up in age and when I say a _bit_ , I mean a _bit_.”

“Yeah, okay well thanks for not kicking us out,” the Nara sighed before lazily smiling to the man who now stood in the doorway.

“Thanks for paying my bills,” he shot back with thunderous laughter before shutting the door behind him. He spoke of going out to drink and the shadow-nin couldn’t help but wonder if it was any good for his condition, whatever condition it was.


	12. Chapter 12

Shikamaru woke up to the sound of Neji preparing himself for his first shift of the day meaning the Nara had one more hour of sleep before he had to head to the barber shop. He rolled to his side and wiped the drool from his mouth.

“You finish reading last night?” His voice was a bit nasally from just waking up.

“No, I’ll have to get back to it once I’m off,” Neji responded.

“M’kay, I’ll make sure nothing happens to it,” he said before edging to the brink of sleep all over again. There was a sudden knock on the front door which triggered a loud curse from Ginji down the hall.

Neji opened the door and stood before their new guest alongside Shikamaru. It was Temari all the way from the Land of Wind. She placed a hand on her hip and offered a side smirk.

“Hello, my brother personally sent me to check in on you two since it’s been some time since you stayed at our village medical center. He wanted me to check in on you two since we’re all such good friends you know,” she put sarcastically. Truthfully, none of them really ever spoke that often, still it was a nice thing to do. It was another great display of Gaara’s promising leadership. She looked from one male to the other as she leaned her weight against her large fan.

“That is very kind, thank you. We are fine and have fully recovered,” Neji informed. Shikamaru nodded along, still under a haze of sleep.

“Well that’s good,” she placed the fan over her shoulder, “You guys doing stuff today?” she asked.

“We have a number of part time jobs due to our suspension from the ninja line of work,” the elder male said.

“Hm, shame. From the little bit I’ve heard in the Hidden Sand, you guys had every right to leave this place. Glad you guys are fine though. Nara,” she addressed him, “I was hoping to spend some time with you, I’d like to catch up,” she said boldly. Shikamaru opened his mouth to decline when the male next to him beat him to it.

“I can work your shift,” Neji said. “Enjoy yourselves,” and without further discussion, he walked off leaving later than he preferred to on the average weekday. Shikamaru simply stared at the woman’s fan wondering why the Hyuga had said what he said, but it was all said and done, and he could use the day off. The girl had just arrived, and sending her off as soon as she got here would be incredibly rude considering her brother’s kindness, so he stepped aside and allowed her in. He promised himself to return the favor to the Hyuga sometime in the near future.

Shikamaru walked in behind her to see Ginji sitting at the kitchen table reading the newspaper and ignoring the girl’s presence, still angered to be awake at the hour.

“Morning,” she greeted.

“Mh,” the man grunted. She took it as a response and carried on. She followed the Nara through the house, “wow so this is your place, huh? Who was the guy up front?”

“He came with the house. He’s the reason we could afford it,” the shadow-nin explained as he went through his drawers for a change of clothes, “TenTen helped pay for the place, too.”

“Uh huh,” she said finally landing her eyes on the back of the Nara. She let them freely travel up and down his back side. 

“What do you wanna do?” he asked.

“Whatever. Konoha has a lot to offer, I trust you to keep me entertained,” she said suggestively.

. . .

The two dined out for their first meal of the day.

“I would’ve cooked, but I can’t,” Shikamaru said.

“That’s fine. Why can’t you cook?” Temari questioned, crossing her legs and arms.

“Because I can’t. I suck at it,” he explained plainly as he studied the menu.

“Neither can I,” she admitted. She leaned forward against the table to get a closer look of the male before her. He noticed the motion and lowered his menu and gave her a questioning look as to ask what it was that she wanted to say. She sucked on her bottom lip playfully as she bobbed her foot up and down. “Your hair seems a bit longer since I last saw you,” she commented.

“Oh,” he said reaching for his up do. She was right. “Thanks for reminding me, I need to cut it. It’s troublesome at after a while.”

Really, she commented as a compliment. She liked the longer hair on him. She looked for the next subject of conversation. “What are you getting?” She asked.

“Probably eggs and toast,” he shrugged. He was a simple man – not too hard to please. “Over-easy,” he added, trying to help carry the conversation.

“I like mine runny too,” she said as a matter-of-factly, content at sharing something in common with the male. Shikamaru nodded slowly and largely at the fact before looking all around the restaurant. It was awkward because he wasn’t too talkative, but she very obviously wanted to speak to him more. He wouldn’t carry out anything she offered. “Where to next?” She asked.

. . .

The two exited the movie theater and stepped aside to allow the crowd to pass them by.

“What did you think of the movie?” She asked. She picked what film they attended, and it had been a very heated film with countless sexual scenes. She was well aware of the fact beforehand and heavily suggested that they see it. She leaned against the male’s shoulder and looked up at him, waiting for an answer.

“It was,” he sighed and raised his brows before tilting his head. He looked to the dirt road. He didn’t know whether or not to be honest or spare the girl, “It was good.”

“What did you like about it?” She pressed further.

“Um,” he leaned his head away at her sudden closeness, “Well, I like how that guy in the end died.”

Temari lowered her arms to her sides, “Huh?” Out of everything on the big screen, he favored the death scene.

“He was kind of annoying. It was like he was fucking anyone that breathed.”

She backed away from him and watched him peculiarly. He didn’t seem to be too affected by the film, at least not sexually. She was hoping she could get the boy in a more flustered state than what he was displaying now.

“Part of me was hoping one of the girls would just bite his nose off while they were going at it,” a relaxed grin slowly spread across his face as he tried not to laugh at his own words.

Temari simply stood there, astounded yet confused as she listened to the male’s previously suppressed laughter.

. . .

They walked through the park under the moonlight and listened to the crickets sing their nightly songs that harmonized with the sound of leaves rustling in the faint winds. Shikamaru enjoyed the new freedom of living life at night without ghastly eyes watching his every move and trailing every track he trekked down. He had taken a chance by going out. Nothing in him fully trusted the Hyuga clan even then. Half of the reason as to why he was willing to be out at such a late hour was to test the truth to Neji’s words on the morning of their argument at the Akimichi house. They turned out to be true.

“I think the academy had some sort of field day or training thing out here today. A friend of mine volunteered to help out, maybe we’ll see him,” Shikamaru said, looking at the empty obstacle course that was spread out across the field.

“Yeah,” she forced a smile trying to think of ways to make the night turn into something more favorable for herself. “Here,” she walked over to a bench and pat the space next to her as an invitation, “The stars are beautiful,” she pointed out.

Shikamaru swayed over to the bench, keeping his hands tucked away, “Yeah, but they’re nothing like what you guys have in the Hidden Sand. The little time we spent out there was enough to see what comes over your village every night. It’s pretty cool, to be honest.”

Finally, conversation.

“Yeah, to tell you the truth, your stars have lots of gaps,” she commented with a small laugh. The male tilted his head in admittance.

“Thanks for checking in on us,” he said. Suddenly, the girl next to him gently pulled his hand from his pocket before lying hers over it.

“Shikamaru,” she began before looking up to him, “I…”

The Nara swiftly removed himself from the touch, “I’m…” he debated on telling her or not, “seeing someone,” he said. Her blush left and was replaced by a hardened stare.

“Who?” She asked sternly.

“Uhm…” his voice slightly cracked under pressure, “I’m gonna go use the restroom, be right back.” He used it as an escape before hissing out of embarrassment. He had to bite back a grimace.

He stepped into the park bathroom to take a breather. He began to pick up on her signals earlier, but he figured that if he just didn’t return them, then she’d give up, but she was heavily persistent.

“Shikamaru?” Choji approached him as he dried his hands. Clearly his day of volunteering was over and he had stayed behind to pick up the obstacle equipment.

“Hey, man,” he leaned against the wall and tucked his hands away as usual.

“Hey, I saw Neji at the academy this afternoon before the last class headed out, but I didn’t see you. I asked about you and he said you took the day off. Clearly, you’re not sick,” he chuckled, “You’re here in the middle of the night. Shouldn’t you be inside? what’s up?” The boy tossed the damp paper towel in the trashcan.

“Temari,” the Nara shortened.

“Okay, Temari,” Choji nodded having processed the name, “Temari? What is she doing out here?”

“She told us she was sent by Gaara to check on us. You know with checking into their hospital all that time back and stuff.”

“Oh, okay. Temari. What about her?”

“I took the day off to hang with her, you know? I didn’t want to act like a stranger, so I took her around and we hung out, and it was cool until…” Shikamaru rested the back of his head against the tile wall.

“Until…” The Akimichi drug out.

“She’s into me,” he complained.

“Well yeah I figured that back during the chunin exams,” Choji said nonchalantly.

“What? How?”

“Well, it’s obvious.”

“What…” the Nara shook his head, “whatever. the thing is I’m with… you know.”

“I _do_ know.”

“Right, so I can’t really do anything other than…”

“Suck up the embarrassment,” Choji finished.

Shikamaru rolled his shoulders in discomfort. He leaned away from the wall and began pacing the restroom, “She’s out there now. I mean right in the middle of her confession I tell her I’m seeing someone, then I ran to the restroom,” he mocked himself in a low whisper.

Choji hissed at the awkwardness of his current situation. “Well, you can’t keep her waiting, Shikamaru.”

“She might not even be out there anymore. I know I wouldn’t after letting her come on to me all day then running the minute she’s direct.”

“Go to her,” Choji said with a pat to the shoulder, “Apologize for leaving her alone at _night_.”

“I know,” the Nara nearly winced at the reminder, “I will. How was Neji?”

“He seemed a bit distracted to tell you the truth,” the larger boy said.

“Probably that book,” Shikamaru said aloud before walking towards the exit. Upon stepping foot on the exterior, he no longer saw the woman on the bench.

“Shikamaru.”

The Nara jumped and turned to see the blond standing right next to him, “Hey, look,” he rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m sorry. That was really lame. I should’ve said something.”

“I shouldn’t have assumed someone like you would be on the market. _I’m_ sorry. It won’t happen again,” she crossed her arms in an awkward manner and looked to the grass in the distance before flashing the male a small smile. “So,” she sighed, “who’s the lucky bitch?”

“Excuse me?” He lifted a brow.

“The girl you’re with, who is she?” She asked less patiently, “Ino?”

“Oh,” he looked to Choji who was just now walking out of the bathroom. The Akimichi wondered if he should try to save his friend or let him make the decision on his own, “uh,” Shikamaru drug out. Temari ignored the large boy behind him and held her stare on the conflicted shadow-nin.

“What are you embarrassed? Is _she_ embarrassed?” Temari lifted a brow and tilted her head. “You guys in hiding?”

“Uh,” the Nara could keep his cool, but he found it difficult to look her in the face as he considered his options, “You know what? Yeah, we actually are,” he said lightly. He smiled at how crazy the situation is.

“What’s funny?” She asked, rolling her eyes.

“Huh,” he said to himself as he lazily watched the town lights from afar.

“Okay? ‘Huh’, what? It’s Ino, isn’t it? Look if she’s really someone you’re laying low with, then never mind,” she waved the matter away with a single hand before turning to leave

Temari then paused. It was silent. A steady breeze blew past all three shinobi before the girl looked over her shoulder. She looked as if she wanted to ask something but decided to shut her mouth and continue along her path. Her body language alone told the Nara that she would not need an escort back, so he returned to watching the lights that were brilliant even from miles away. Once she had gained a safe distance from the boys, Shikamaru chuckled his tension away before exhaling slowly. His best friend watched him nervously.

“Are you okay, Shikamaru?”

“Yeah,” he said with a sigh. He just hoped that the little bit that he had just confessed wouldn’t come back to bite him. He only said what he knew could get her advances to stop, but the girl was no fool. If she had been eaves dropping on him and Choji, it would mean that he had truly betrayed Neji.


	13. Chapter 13

Shikamaru entered the front door laughing with Choji before the Akimichi said his goodbyes, leaving the Nara for the night. The shadow-nin paused at seeing Neji sleeping at the kitchen table. He rushed over and gently placed his hands on the male’s shoulders to ease him awake.

“Hey,” the Nara whispered. Every light was off except for the one over the table that illuminated the sleeping Hyuga. Neji’s eyes slowly opened and he lifted his head to look to the Nara.

“Hey,” he greeted sleepily.

They both entered their bedroom. Neji took his side of the bed as the shadow-nin shut off all the house lights before turning in, himself. He lied next to Neji, regretting having been gone so long. “How long were you at the table?” Shikamaru asked quietly.

“Ever since I closed the flower shop,” Neji answered.

“Take off tomorrow, and I’ll fill in for you. Just say your evil family attacked you again,” Shikamaru offered jokingly. He turned to face the elder and began to rub his arm.

“No, Shikamaru.” His tone was that of an adult disappointed in a child for his actions.

“Why not? Anyone would believe it.”

“Not while he’s trying to make amends.”

“Make amends like what? Giving us some cool cups and your dad’s journal which he should’ve given you years ago?”

“He’s getting rid of the curse mark. He’s uniting the houses,” Neji explained, placing his head against Shikamaru’s chest. There was nothing the younger could really say to counter that. That was proof enough that the head of the clan wished to make changes.

“Hm,” the Nara hummed in acknowledgement.

“Did you have fun with Temari?” Neji asked suddenly. He felt the boy beneath him shrug. “Shikamaru,” the Hyuga pressed further.

“Okay, okay. Not… _really_? I mean she’s cool, but you know,” he said.

“No, I do not. What is it that I am supposed to know?” He raised his head and looked right at the Nara.

“She tried stuff.”

“ _Stuff_?” Neji’s head slowly tilted.

“She likes me.” Shikamaru said. When there was no response from the Hyuga above him, he knew better than to look into his face, so he continued, “I mean I turned her down of course, I don’t feel the same,” he finished.

Neji simply lowered his head to the male’s chest again. He felt the Nara’s heart racing in his chest at the conversation.

Shikamaru didn’t want to mess up his wording or alarm the elder by telling him of Temari’s flirtatious antics, so his pulse had risen. He was anxious of the elder’s response.

“You are taking my workload tomorrow, correct?” Neji asked.

“You want me to?”

“Thank you,” the Hyuga said before shutting his eyes.

. . .

Neji had finished making breakfast for himself and Ginji when there was a knock at the door. He excused himself from the table before answering it. There on the front doorstep stood Temari and TenTen. He stepped aside and allowed them in silently. “Eggs? Fruit?” He offered. He was a bit more on edge than he wanted to be and couldn’t quite understand how he could allow himself to be a bit tipped off at the woman’s presence.

“No, thank you,” Temari turned down, “I was on my way to hopefully catch Shikamaru before he left. I actually ran into her on the way here,” she said, gesturing towards the younger kunoichi by her side, “coincidence,” she smiled. “Is he here?” The woman got right to it. She was a very direct person, Neji observed.

“No,” he answered.

“Hm,” she hummed shamefully, “Do you know where I could find him?” The woman shifted her weight to her hip and held a steady gaze with the male.

Neji stared at the girl blankly for some time as his newfound annoyance began to pick up.

“He should be working at the barber shop right now,” TenTen informed. Temari looked to the girl over her shoulder and crossed her arms.

“Is that so?” She asked Neji. The Hyuga nodded politely. He grew mute in her presence and did not wish to show any of the turmoil that was taking place underneath his surface.

“Where’s that?” The blond questioned.

“Near Ichiraku. Make the first left and it should be somewhere along that street,” TenTen directed.

“Thanks,” she winked before tossing her fan over her shoulder and exiting the house. They all watched the confident girl up until she shut the door behind her with a simple whip of wind – unnecessary in Neji’s opinion. Still he kept a blank expression.

“Woof,” Ginji said before biting into his hardboiled egg.

“Um, so Neji, I was wondering if,” TenTen placed her hands behind her back and began swaying side to side. She rolled her eyes clockwise, “maybe we could hang out? I don’t have anything to do today and thought about heading to the weaponry store, but it doesn’t have to be all we do. We can go to a teahouse, maybe walk around?”

Neji stood silently.

Ginji cleared his throat to get the male’s attention.

“Oh, yes, let me clean the table, then I will join you,” he said, seemingly coming back down to earth from whatever trance he was under seconds ago. TenTen failed to notice the odd behavior and nearly skipped to the front door.

“Okay, I’ll be out here,” she beamed.

. . .

Neji followed the kunoichi wherever she went in the weaponry shop. She would pick things up and make comments, but he wouldn’t hear them. She would ask the employees questions, but they would go right over the Hyuga’s head. She might have squealed over a number of katanas, but Neji wouldn’t know. He couldn’t focus. He stopped right in front of a large fighting fan and stared.

TenTen continued walking, “Some of these prices are just borderline inhumane though. I mean, what are these weapons made out of? Diamonds?” She laughed, but – not for the first time since they’ve been there – there was not a peep from the male that was supposed to be behind her. She turned to see that the Hyuga had stopped a ways back. “Neji?” She approached her teammate and looked to what had caught his attention. “Oh, you _do_ major in wind style. You thinking about trying it?”

Neji shook his head slowly, keeping a steady gaze on the large contraption. It was mounted beautifully on the wall. It was illuminated by its own light that amplified the warmth of the gold that was scattered across the bright red fan. It was breathtaking.

“You like it?” TenTen guessed.

“No,” Neji looked away before continuing on. The kunoichi glossed over the fan once more before following after the Hyuga that had left so suddenly. She then began to question the odd behavior unlike earlier.

. . .

“Since when have you been into Shogi?” TenTen asked with a yawn. Again, the Hyuga made his moves without sparing a response. “ _Hello_?” She called obnoxiously.

“I’m sorry,” Neji apologized.

“What is going on?” She asked. “I mean, where are you? – not here, _that’s_ for sure.”

“I’m sorry,” he repeated, sealing his eyes shut. He told himself to shake it, but he couldn’t. There was that uneasy feeling that was throwing his focus regardless of what he told himself. He couldn’t stop his mind from thinking about what could have happened the previous night. He couldn’t stop himself from imagining what could be taking place now. He hated himself for reacting the way he was reacting; he thought he was more mature.

“Neji,” TenTen whined, “please, if I have to call your name one more time, I might throw this cup of tea in your face and you’re just gonna have to hope it’s cooled down,” she warned tiredly before dropping her head.

“I apologize, TenTen. I am a bit distracted.”

“A _bit_?” She scoffed, “Why are you so distracted?”

Neji made his next move on the shogi board and considered his next course of action. He thought back on Shikamaru’s words. He had told Neji to not let feelings pile up, otherwise they could consume you before you are made aware of their true scale. He looked around subtly before standing.

“Hey, where are you going?” She asked.

The Hyuga placed the amount they owed on the table, “Come on,” he said. He walked quickly through the door giving the girl a bit of trouble with catching up.

“Hey!” She exclaimed before seeing him turn off into an alleyway. “Oh, uh?” She stood towards the front of it and looked to the Hyuga who motioned her over. “Okay? Must be important. Are you okay?”

“Yes,” he assured. Once the girl was close enough and they were a safe distance from the front of the alleyway, he lowered his guard, “I’m seeing someone,” he confessed as his eyes continued to dart from place to place.

“You’re _seeing_ someone? Like – like dating?”

Neji placed a hand on the girl’s mouth before lowering his own voice, “Yes, but keep it down.”

“Who?” She managed to slip free.

Neji finally looked to the girl. He was reluctant to reveal something so sensitive right here and now. However, he knew TenTen enough to know that he could trust her. She was one of his closest companions for as long as he’s known the meaning of companionship. Her eyes were round with anticipation. One might even say they shone brightly at hearing the information. He shut his own pale ones and tried to work up the courage to reveal himself.

“The person that I am seeing is…”

TenTen leaned closer as her jaw slowly dropped.

“The person is currently… with someone that I feel strangely towards,” he settled.

“What do you mean?” She asked hurridly, “like cheating, seeing, or…”

“No,” he tried to think of a way to explain the situation because sitting on it alone was becoming bothersome. “There is someone else who has unclear intentions towards the person I am seeing.” He prayed that the girl would not pry for an identity.

“Oh,” she whispered, “Well, if you need someone to snoop around…”

“No, that will not be necessary,” he looked away, “I trust my partner.” He truly did trust Shikamaru. He just could not rid himself of the nagging feeling that something distasteful could happen in his absence.

“If you trust her then why are you so jealous?” She crossed her arms suspiciously.

“I am not,” he closed his mouth.

“You are.”

“Forget I said anything,” he said before walking off, leaving a confused kunoichi in the alley. The girl raised a brow and chased after the male.

“Well, hold on,” she placed a hand on his shoulder, pulling him back into the alley, “look, it’s my turn to confess.”

Neji paused and turned to the girl. He supposed it was only appropriate since he had admitted something that was nearly soul wrenching. 

“Neji I liked you – or at least I thought I did. See, after you went missing, I had this new feeling that came up. I think I became desperate to find you and have you home safe. I confused it for attraction or something,” she shook her head, “I don’t know. It was silly.”

The Hyuga placed a hand against her arm, “No, it’s not. I am glad to be back safely. There is a number of things that I started to miss about Konoha. You were one of them, TenTen.”

The girl smiled at hearing this before dropping her head. Her smile faded as her hands came together nervously. The display reminded him of that night in the girl’s apartment. It was almost as if her body as a whole began to shrink. “TenTen?” Neji called quietly as he looked her up and down.

“I’m so sorry,” she said, shaking her head slowly. “I’m so, so sorry,” her voice dropped to a whisper.

“There is nothing to be sorry for. You did not play a part in any of it,” he tried to reassure her. He then heard a small sniffle.

“I _did_!” She exclaimed through tears that welled in the corners of her eyes.

Neji looked to the girl in shock before seeing the number of heads that turned towards them both. He then rushed the girl aside in hopes of having more privacy.

“When we saw you in the Land of Vegetables! After you guys left, the Hyuga came looking for you guys and one told me that they’d never hurt you, so I told them where you were going! I didn’t,” she cried, “I didn’t want you to keep running and running and…” That was how the group of Hyuga had located them in no time when they were trekking through the desert.

“TenTen.”

The girl locked eyes with her teammate to see that his cool never left him. Not the slightest bit of anger or embarrassment was present on his face. She wiped her tears because she had no right to cry. She played a hand in bringing the male the hell he had faced ever since he stepped foot into town.

“It’s alright,” he promised as he held both sides of her face gently. She was surprised at the touch. It was kind. It was human unlike the Neji she remembered long before his endeavor. His eyes matched the kindness of the gesture then were paired with a simple smile. “You only wanted what was best for me. I’m here, I’m free. You helped me. If you had not done what it was that you’re crying over now, then I would have either still been on the run instead of standing in front of you.” His hands fell to her shoulders, “Thank you.”

The girl was speechless. His words had comforted her because they were true. She continued to regret everything the male had been through, of course, but she now felt lighter. She felt a weight fall from her shoulders after the secret was brought to light. He forgave her though he saw nothing to forgive her for. Seeing as her mind was coming around to the concept, Neji removed his hands from the girl and waited for her to say something, anything at all.

“I’m sorry,” she giggled as she wiped the rest of her tears from her lashes, “that was embarrassing.” She continued to laugh it off until she could ground herself. “Wow,” she sighed, “okay.”

Neji nodded in agreement that her crying was rather unexpected making the girl laugh all over again. He was just glad that the girl was forgiving herself after holding a secret that he was sure was killing her inside. The money she lent them was an apology gift, Neji realized. The girl had sworn up and down that she would beat either male if they tried to return the money because it would have defeated the purpose of the make up proposal. Still, he appreciated it greatly to this day.

“Okay,” she repeated, “So who is it?”

“Excuse me?” Neji asked coming back from his thoughts.

She laughed, “The one that’s been on your mind all day, _distracting_ you.”

Neji stared at her with hard eyes. He had hoped that the moment they shared would push the other one off the table. He was sorely mistaken.


	14. Chapter 14

Shikamaru watched the streets from the flower shop’s windows. He watched as life outside passed him by as the hours spent at work ticked and ticked. He looked to a flower-themed clock that sat at the register to find that he had about thirty minutes left. It had been a long day of Temari appearing and disappearing from job to job. Just that morning the woman had surprised him as he swept the hair from the barber shop floor. She stopped by and observed the place, but it made Shikamaru feel as if she were sizing him up. She left about ten minutes in only to reappear at the academy when he was substituting for Iruka. She watched him supervise the kids from the class doorway. One kid even asked if the blond was his girlfriend which he denied without a second thought. She left once the kids became hard to silence. He was now working his three-hour shift at the flower shop and prayed to the gods that she wouldn’t show face in the last few minutes of his workday. He cursed himself for being too soft to tell the girl to stop dropping by at random. He turned his back to the street to restock daisy seed packets when he heard the door ding. He sighed through his nose expecting to see said girl, but much to his surprise, it was none other than Neji.

“Neji,” Shikamaru said relieved. He lied the remaining packets against the ground and walked to the male. He grabbed his hand and rubbed the male’s wrist with a thumb. “Hey,” the Nara greeted quietly.

Neji returned the greeting with a smile, “It’s near closing time. I thought I would bring you lunch.” Though it was just about sundown, he knew that the shadow-nin more than likely skipped out on lunch. Shikamaru had expressed many times before that it was more troubling to rush a midday meal rather than just hop from job to job to save time.

“Thanks,” the younger grabbed the bag and wrapped an arm around the elder’s waist. Neji nervously looked to the windows where they were exposed. It was now too dark to see through the glass panes without simply seeing one’s reflection which made it even more nerve wracking.

“Shikamaru,” Neji quietly spat.

The Nara chuckled before walking to the cash register to set his warm meal down. He opened it to find rice siding mackerel, similar to the fish they ate on the rooftop in the Land of Hot Water. He let out a grateful sigh. “You’re the best.”

“You’re welcome,” Neji said with a serene smile. Shikamaru then looked up from his plate and met the Hyuga’s eyes. He was happy to see him. It was as if Neji’s presence revamped his energy after the lengthy day of labor. Suddenly its troubles were hardly memorable. The Nara smiled and bit the inside of his lower lip. His silence and comedic expression confused the elder. “What is it?” Neji asked.

The shadow-nin shook his head with a smile and began eating. The door then rang and Neji turned to see who had entered. Shikamaru had to stop his eyes from physically rolling and nearly choked when he tried to silence a grunt of dread. He simply waved and continued chewing his food. Neji was at a loss for words just like earlier so he settled on a simple head nod as a greeting.

“Hi,” Temari greeted the Hyuga before walking straight towards the Nara who still stared through the windows the best he could at night. “How much longer until you get off?” She asked as she leaned against the counter. Shikamaru continued chewing for some time until he swallowed enough to respond.

“Twenty,” he answered.

“Not too long,” she thought aloud, “When’s your next day off?”

“Weekend,” he replied still avoiding the girl’s eyes.

Neji still stood by the door and watched the interaction blankly.

The pressure of the Hyuga being there made the Nara tense. Shikamaru knew any decent partner would have chased anything off that had proven to be a potential threat to their connection, but he just couldn’t find the strength to do it. She hadn’t exactly crossed the line, so there was nothing he could use as a legitimate reason to get her to go away. Still, he had already informed her that he was in a relationship and not even that was enough to end her subtle flirting. For some reason, she seemed to still think she had a shot.

“You want to spar over the weekend?” Temari asked in her typical devious tone. Shikamaru shrugged, using his full mouth as an excuse to refrain from speaking. “You nervous I’ll make you look bad?” She raised a brow, leaning both arms against the counter. Her cleavage slightly bulged from the V-cut of her dress. Shikamaru’s eyes dropped to his plate. He continued chewing even though he could very well speak by that point. The girl leaned forward making her chest protrude even further. Shikamaru leaned back and went back to peering through the window as if he could see the streets from where he sat. He then looked to the entrance to see that Neji had disappeared. His glanced at the face of the girl. Temari looked over the Nara’s head with a slightly fearful glint in her eye before regaining her confident composure. She leaned away from the cash register and grabbed her fan that she sat against it. “I’ll see you later, Nara,” she said before turning swiftly, exiting without looking back. She walked past the store, glancing through the windows once more before disappearing down the street for good. Shikamaru watched her through the glass until she walked out of his field of vision. He then felt a hand ease itself onto his shoulder ominously. He jumped. Leaning his head backward, he found Neji standing over him staring straight ahead. He had been the one she was staring to; he had been the one to shake her up enough to get her to leave without even saying a word.

“What did you do?” Shikamaru asked with his neck craned back to keep the Hyuga in his vision.

“Nothing,” Neji said innocently, placing hands on either side of the boy’s head. His tone, just like his face was bare of any emotion. His answer would have been believable had Shikamaru not seen the smallest hint of fear seep from the girl. The Nara spun his stool around to face the elder, so they could dive into what had truly taken place. He leaned backward against the counter and supported the weight of his head against his hand. He stared at Neji with heavy lids waiting for the male to fess up.

“Mhm,” Shikamaru hummed sarcastically. Neji blankly looked down to him.

“All I did was look at her,” the Hyuga explained. Shikamaru then turned back toward his plate, dropped his chopsticks in the dish then turned back toward the other.

“Mhm,” he repeated. Neji then quickly reached over the Nara to turn the shop’s lights out before pulling Shikamaru from his stool. That way, both of them were out of the scope of anyone who could pass by the building in the night. Neji gripped the shadow-nin by the waist and smashed his lips against him. It was a kiss that told the Nara he belonged to Neji, no one else. Not Temari or anyone else who suddenly decided to recognize Shikamaru for all he’s worth. The sudden attack of the lips went unquestioned and before Neji knew it, he was being pushed against the wall by the other. The impact knocked a package from the wall, but it was ignored. The only thing that held their attention was the heat of the moment. Neji then lowered himself to the ground and pulled the other male down with him. Conveniently, the counter shielded them from being seen if someone were to enter the shop, so Shikamaru slid comfortably between both the Hyuga’s legs and continued to explore the elder’s mouth. It was hot and a bit greedy this time around. The Nara rolled his hips against the other, producing a vocalized exhale from Neji. Shikamaru repeated the motion over and over backing it by plenty of force. He then scooped his arms under the crooks of the Hyuga’s legs and lifted them both as he leaned down to consume the flesh of the male’s neck. Neji wrapped his legs around the Nara’s waist to further lock their bodies together.

“Neji,” Shikamaru breathed against his skin, breathlessly as he continued to grind against the Hyuga. Feeling the heat of his own name being breathed against him, hot and wet, triggered Neji’s body to arch up, anything to get more of the feeling. He felt a tugging at the bottom of his shirt, so he lifted his arms to help the shadow-nin remove it. Shikamaru followed and tossed his own top to the side. Hands held Neji’s sides as the Nara’s mouth traveled down his neck, over his collar bones and down the length of his torso. Neji freed the boy from the grasp of his legs. Shikamaru kissed all down the center of his chest to his stomach that tensed at the new feeling; he then relaxed the lower he went. Once the Nara’s mouth warmed the cloth over the Hyuga’s sex, Neji’s hips rose desperately. Shikamaru hooked his fingers into the hem of the male’s pants and pulled them along with his briefs past his hips. His breath caressed the hardened length, further teasing the male beneath him. He kissed alongside it as Neji’s voice produced beautiful sounds – it was akin to music to Shikamaru – as the Nara worked the shaft with a hand. He gripped the Hyuga’s hip with his free hand and watched as the elder’s face expressed the blissful sensation. It made a warmth swell in the bottom of Shikamaru’s stomach to know that he was the first one to show the male what all the body could do and feel. He felt his cheeks warm at the idea then pressed a kiss to the tip of Neji’s member before easing himself back over the male. He unbuttoned his bottoms, freeing his own length then used a single hand to firmly hold them both. He pressed a kiss to the Hyuga’s forehead and began stroking their shafts as one. He buried his face in Neji’s neck as the incredible feeling overtook the two of them together. With a hitched breath, the Hyuga came, but the Nara continued stroking him through his orgasm as he neared himself to a finish. He was close, so very close when the lights flicked on.

They both froze behind the coverage of the counter, tangled with one another.


	15. Chapter 15

“Huh, weird. Could’ve sworn Shikamaru had another five minutes in here. Whatever. Hinata, can you help me with these bags of fertilizer? Thank you so much for coming with me. I can’t believe I forgot to run the one errand my dad gave me. He was right, you know. He really doesn’t ask me to do much,” Ino sighed.

“Right,” Hinata nearly whispered.

“They’re right over there in the storage closet. Hey, what’s that doing on the floor?”

Neji raised his head enough to look past the Nara and spot the small packet that fell upon their impact against the wall. It was right by them and minute the girl walked over to pick it up was the minute she’d spot them in their most vulnerable moment.

“I’ll get it,” Shikamaru called from the floor, startling the male beneath him. The shadow-nin swiftly grabbed his shirt and tugged it on before rising up just enough to look to the girl over the cash register.

“Oh, Shikamaru. I thought you left for the night. You know, with the lights being out and all,” Ino said.

“Uh, yeah,” he stroked stray hairs back from where they stuck to his flushed face.

“Are you,” she began to slowly approach the boy, “alright down there?”

“Yeah, business was slow today, so I just fell asleep,” he lied skillfully. He knew it wasn’t a good look to present himself as in front of his employer. Still, he added in a yawn for good measure.

“Why’s your face all red?” She questioned further.

“Might be coming down with something,” he shrugged.

“Oh, do you need help?” She stepped closer to the counter.

Shikamaru blew hairs from his face, “Nah,” he declined before disappearing behind the surface, “Let find my shoes,” he said as he and Neji fastened their pants hastily. He heard Ino closing in and shot up to back her away without being too obvious as he rubbed the back of his neck, “What are you guys doing here so late?”

“Well Dad told me to grab fertilizer before leaving the shop hours ago so we could care for the salad garden back at home, but I forgot,” she rolled her eyes at her own irresponsibility, “so now he’s acting like he does everything when it comes to housework. You should’ve been there. I mean he started doing chores while complaining about being some sort of maid or butler or something. He’s so dramatic, I mean what was my mother thinking?” She placed the tips of her fingers to her forehead.

“Oh, I know what you mean,” Shikamaru deadpanned, thinking of his own parents.

The doorbell rang violently and in walked Temari, “Neji, it’s you, isn’t it?!” She exclaimed bitterly. All heads turned toward the conflicted blond by the door, “Flashing your Byakugan at me like I’m a threat.”

So that was how Neji got the girl to run off the way she did.

Ino almost hopped on the subject before inflating her cheeks as if the answer had physically stopped right before her lips. Temari looked from the girl to the Nara.

“What about Neji?” Hinata huffed, exiting the closet with a large bag of fertilizer.

“Where is he?” Temari questioned narrowing her eyes. The shadow-nin stared to the girl and contemplated the situation. Ino already knew about their status, Temari had pretty much figured it out and he was confident Hinata’s love for her cousin would still be there if he were to be truthful, but it was not his call to make.

Shikamaru simply spun on the heel of his foot to pick up the packet that had fallen earlier. He then grabbed his lunch and walked toward the door, “What a drag,” he mumbled before exiting the store, making it seem as though there was no one inside, hiding behind a counter, waiting for the scene to be over. Just the little white lie he had told Ino irked him inside, so he decided to leave the scene and hopefully draw the others along with him. Temari followed the boy out just like he planned.

“Is it Neji?” She demanded.

“Is what Neji?”

“The person you’re ‘seeing’.”

“No. What made you think that?”

“What kind of answer is that?” She asked, placing herself in the line of Shikamaru’s path. The boy looked down at the girl plainly. He then picked his teeth and walked around her.

The two girls watched from the flower shop’s entrance before coming back in.

“I wonder what they’re talking about,” Hinata said. Temari and Shikamaru had been too distant to be heard clearly, so both kunoichi missed everything that was said.

“Beats me,” Ino shrugged. Deep down, she had a pretty good guess as to what it truly was, “Anyways, one more bag should do the trick. I’m gonna check the register and see… Ah!” She screamed at seeing Neji slowly rise from behind the counter. His presence had startled her. The girl fanned herself before grabbing her chest, “I didn’t know you were there,” she laughed the shock away, “I think Temari was demanding that you…” She examined his messy hair and his top’s crooked collar. She then screamed again only more excitedly this time, “Business was _slow_ , huh? Was it, Neji?”

The male’s face displayed his discomfort and its color revealed his embarrassment. He looked away, wordlessly. Ino then clapped repeatedly as she squealed once more. Hinata watched the Yamanaka in confusion. “Oh!” Ino yelped, covering her mouth remembering what the Nara had told her in the street some days ago. She was unsure of whether or not the Hyuga girl knew of their arrangement. She eyed Hinata searching for any sign that the girl might have already been told, but she found none. “Sorry,” Ino held her arms out in apology, “I did not mean… I mean _I_ already know. I don’t know who else does, but…”

Neji looked to her with rounded eyes. Shikamaru had not informed him of her being aware.

“But it’s okay!” Ino assured.

It wasn’t. Any secret kept by her was no secret at all, so he surrendered.

“I _swear_ that I will _not_ tell anyone, not even _TenTen_ , not _Sakura_ , not…”

“Hinata, I’m seeing Shikamaru,” he said tiredly. Hiding behind the counter lost its purpose once the girl mentioned heading his direction, so he decided to reveal himself. Only, he couldn’t do so without exposing a bit more than his simply being there. He did not expect the Yamanaka to tell as much as she did all in a matter of seconds, so there was no point in lying to Hinata. He, just like Shikamaru, figured the Hyuga girl wouldn’t despise him over a matter such as itself, so he confessed. Hiding and cursing himself for being the way he was began a strange rotting within him that he wanted to rid himself of, but it did little to silence the accompanying fear that lie right over it.

Ino froze at his admittance.

“You…” Hinata began.

“Seeing, with, dating,” he explained. He stared her down to see her response.

“What?” Her light voice questioned. She lowered the heavy bag of fertilizer.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Ino clasped her hands together gleefully.

“Not through the Hyuga’s eyes. It’s been strongly shamed and compared to a sort of evil,” he looked to his cousin, “Lady Hinata, I do not know how to explain this to you, but the way I feel towards the Nara is the way you feel towards Naruto.”

Her eyes dropped – mouth still ajar. She seemed to be trying to comprehend the news, “Like Naruto?”

Neji nodded.

“You’re… you love him?” She stuttered.

“Yes,” Neji said though he was mostly admitting it to himself, “I love him.”

Ino borderline screamed.

Hinata nodded once, “okay,” she whispered. Neji knew that years of conditioning by the Hyuga could be undone by the girl. He was confident that their relationship being akin to what siblings have could override the clan’s teachings enough for her to still see him the way she had minutes ago. “So,” she started again before blushing uncontrollably, “behind the counter…”

Ino grew louder, Neji looked away with a blush, and Hinata frantically shook her head of the realization.


	16. Chapter 16

Shikamaru had completed the task successfully. He managed to walk all the way home, ignoring the woman who continued to nag. Somewhere along the way, she actually stopped asking for him to confirm her suspicions and walked by him silently, still pushing him to fess up. He could tell that she was irked by the fact that a man had outdone her in the Nara’s eyes. It was the least expected thing to happen in their time apart. The two walked up to the front door and Shikamaru turned the keys in the lock. He stood in the door and turned to face her with a bored expression. Truthfully, he wished to continue eating his meal in peace.

“Is it Neji?” She asked a final time. Shikamaru was about to shut the door when he saw said Hyuga making his way from around the corner. Temari followed the Nara’s eyes and spotted the male who closed in on them both. The girl crossed her arms and watched Neji pass her by and enter the house.

She shut her eyes and simmered, “Well, if it’s not him, then let’s go ahead and talk about the last time we saw each other,” she smiled angrily and faced the shadow-nin. Shikamaru visibly stilled right when Neji stopped walking. The Hyuga kept his back to the door as he listened from behind the boy. “So, what was it a kiss-don’t-tell type of deal?” She raised a brow and took a single step closer. “You took what you wanted from me and left. That was it? You weren’t even the slightest bit excited to see me? Do you even care, Shikamaru? I gave myself up!” She placed a heavy hand on her chest. Her words made the Nara’s heart sink because he knew that Neji was only a few feet away and nothing was keeping the male from listening to what she had to say.

“No, that wasn’t it,” Shikamaru said quietly.

“Then what was it? Clearly, it wasn’t anything romantic if you never even cared for girls in the first place.” She shot back.

“You need to go,” the shadow-nin hissed lowly.

“Not until you tell me who outmatched me. Not until you tell me who you thought was better than the girl who gave her body to you!”

“You forced yourself on me, Temari. I never wanted it.” He claimed, “I never wanted you.” There was a silence. Temari widened her eyes before shaking her head slowly.

“No, you went for it,” She argued.

“You forced it, Temari. Before it happened, I turned you down – what? – five, _six_ times? You still forced yourself on me. Just because I’m a guy doesn’t mean I can’t be pressured into doing things I don’t want to do. You kissed _me_ , not the other way around. You felt _me_ up, not the other way around. I turned away, I _pushed_ you away, I said no over and over and _over_ again but you pushed on. You wanted it so badly,” he stepped closer to her, “you couldn’t take no for an answer, so you went through extremes to get whatever it was _you_ wanted. By the time you put your hand down my pants, I didn’t know what to do. I knew it was something you wanted so I went with it just so you could leave me alone because I knew you’d be back. I knew that if I were to speak to someone about it, they’d laugh because you were the girl,” he jammed a finger between her collarbones, “and I was the boy. I went through with it because you were so damn persistent. I don’t think you can see it, but I never went back. I avoided you ever since, so don’t you dare go waving the victim card around just because I was too much of a push over to find a way to get you to fuck off,” he hissed before taking one step backward into the house, “You made me promise not to tell because you knew deep down that what you did was something you couldn’t take back. Go home.” With that, he shut the door and dropped the plate on the kitchen table; his appetite had left him. He looked to Neji who still stood silently. Shikamaru rolled his eyes. He was sure Neji probably found the Nara’s fault somewhere in the incident. The shadow-nin always hated himself for the moment he shared with Temari at age fifteen. He felt he, as the boy in the incident, could have – should have – done more than weakly shove and decline repeatedly. He had the power to make his preference loud and clear enough for her to never bother again. The girl had been bugging him years prior to the incident which played a huge part in him letting her have her way. Still, he cursed himself for being so weak spirited. Finally, Neji looked to him from where he stood in the darker side of the room. The darkness did little to hide the white irises of his eyes. Shikamaru smirked, “You think I’m a creep now?”

Neji shook his head.

“I mean seems kinda crazy that I’d let two girls get to me or at least come close.” He chuckled as he continued to think down on himself. “Crazy,” he sighed looking at the plate that sat, cold on the table.

“I’m sorry you had to experience that,” Neji said, now fully facing him.

“Yeah, well even without me confirming it, I’m sure she’s going to spread rumors about us. She’s crazy,” he pulled out a seat and sat down as he rubbed his face, “ _Crazy_.”

Neji walked to him and placed a hand on his back. “Let’s go to bed,” Neji said quietly against his ear. “You’ve had a long day.”

“Oh, good you’re back,” Ginji emerged from the black hall, “I thought I had to go out and save you ladies,” he smiled a crooked smile that had worn down over his years. The small crack of a joke made the Nara chuckle. He lightened the air in the room.

“No,” Shikamaru stood, “We’re good, thanks old man,” he assured as he pushed his chair in.

“Well, then, you let me know when you need me to hit someone with this oxygen tank. It’ll leave a bruise. Ask the guy who tried to rob me last year, oh I left a knot up there,” he pointed to his balding head, “not sure if the guy would remember it.” He followed the two back to their room as he told the story. Shikamaru was amused by the tale. Neji was glad it lifted him from whatever spell he was previously under. The Hyuga knew Ginji had heard everything that took place at the front door. Surely his comedic entrance was intentional. He smiled to himself knowing this. “Alright, well goodnight. You two be safe in here,” the old man looked around the room, “never did like this room.”

“Why not?” Shikamaru asked.

“My dog died in it,” the man replied before taking his leave. “If you hear something moving it’s him,” he reached his own bedroom door, “Either that or it’s me and I kicked the bucket in my dreams,” he laughed before shutting himself in his room. Shikamaru stood and stared to Ginji’s bedroom door.

“Huh,” he shrugged the sudden melancholic interaction from his shoulders before dropping himself in bed.

“So, you told Ino,” Neji shared before lowering himself to a sitting position against the mattress. Shikamaru’s eyes shot open. He didn’t expect two of his past mistakes to blow up in one night. “Who else knows?”

Shikamaru sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He sat up to face the back side of the Hyuga, “Ino and her dad, Sakura and Choji… my entire team,” he thought aloud. “I’m sorry, Neji. We agreed to tell Choji, so I did but forgot to tell him to keep quiet.”

“It is alright, Shikamaru. It hardly matters anymore,” Neji said. With both Temari and Ino in the know, there was hardly any use in keeping quiet at that point in time. It was only a matter of who told who first, “I told Lady Hinata in the flower shop.”

Shikamaru was surprised to hear that. If the Hyuga had told his cousin back at the flower shop, then he must have revealed himself to them. Which means that the girls probably put two and two together. The Nara felt uncomfortable in his own body as the realization settled in, “Oh.”

Neji turned to face him, “We’ll tell everyone tomorrow after work.”

“Are you sure?” The idea excited the shadow-nin, but he didn’t want to jump to any certainty just yet. He wanted Neji to be comfortable with revealing everything to those closest to them. Shikamaru thought about his parents. “Can we leave my parents out of it for a while. I mean at this rate, they’ve probably already heard, but I don’t really wanna face them just yet. I’m in no rush when it comes to them.”

“Whatever you want,” Neji said.

The thought worried Shikamaru. He didn’t know what their reactions would be, but based off of their characters, he could take a pretty good guess and the outcome was not favorable. He had already pretty much kicked his parents to the side by leaving the village then coming back just to move back out all of a sudden without a word. However, the thought of them tossing him aside made him uneasy. He told himself he shouldn’t care since all the two had done was scar him time and time again. Neither of them were ever there the way they should have been from the beginning, so he shouldn’t even care if they saw him as unruly or unfit to lead the Nara clan or to even be their child. Just then, he felt a hand reach up and free his hair from its bind. His locks fell against his shoulders drawing his attention to the male before him, the only one he should be concerned about. He offered a slight smile before pouncing the Hyuga and pulling him down against the mattress. Neji returned the hold and pressed his face into the Nara’s chest. Shikamaru pressed a kiss to the top of the elder’s head before stroking it gently.

“See you in the morning,” he mumbled. Neji responded with an easy stroke down his back.


	17. Chapter 17

Neji was wiping down the surfaces of the flower shop shelves when he heard someone enter the door. He didn’t look up and continued with his given task until Shikamaru spoke.

“Dad.”

Neji froze and decided to mask his presence. He didn’t know what to do.

Shikaku stood in the door, hands in pockets, neck craned back, lids weighed by apparent intoxication. He looked around the shop and saw that they were alone but guised it as a study of the room’s features. He pinched the leaf of a potted plant between his fingers. It was his typical silence before going off. Shikamaru could tell that he wasn’t there for no reason at all. His father had heard the news; he knew. The Nara kept a look of nonchalance and continued counting the day’s income. He heard his father’s footsteps as he walked to him slowly. He felt his father’s eyes staring down at him and hard, it felt as though the man was trying to burn a hole into the top of his head. He had worn his hair down that day just because the Hyuga had told him it complimented his face nicely, so he put up with the troublesome feeling of something tickling the sides of his face all day. Now he was sure that all his father saw was the effects that some man had on his son. Shikaku smelled of nicotine and alcohol. Typical. Shikamaru wondered what the man was like when he bothered to be in his right mind. “You take it up the back, or does he?” The same sly remark Ginji had used back when he was similar to Shikaku. However, the elderly man had changed himself. Shikamaru only wished his father could do the same.

The younger Nara didn’t feel like dealing with this at all at the moment. He had ten minutes until closing time. He would have ignored the man over him if he knew his father wouldn’t slam his head against the counter for doing so. He dropped his hands to his lap. “Nice to see you, Dad.”

“No, I’m curious. Does he or you? Teach your old man a lesson. I feel a little silly asking these questions,” he lowered himself to his son’s level and looked to him with a half-smile.

Shikamaru knew he didn’t care. It was only a matter of time until the man showed his true wrath. He looked to the shelf Neji hid behind before looking back to his father.

“Look at your hair,” Shikaku studied the strands that draped over his shoulders down to the top of his back, “it’s grown. Does he brush your hair? You braid each other’s hair, too? Put little bows in it?”

Shikamaru closed his mouth and dropped his eyes to his father’s shirt.

“No, it’s my fault. I should’ve been there more, then maybe you would’ve learned to be a man,” Shikaku stood back up before looking away, “Your mother raised a bitch. Now what? You think you’re exempt from carrying on the bloodline and giving the clan an heir to head position? Have you thought about that? Have you thought past yourself? Running away like a bitch, making your mother cry like one, moving without a word. Yoshino says you don’t even visit,” he bared his hands against the counter’s surface, “What’s that about, boy? Too much of a bitch to face your own mother? Man the fuck up and get you a real girl, not some Hyuga prick that hardly passes.”

“Get out,” Shikamaru demanded, standing up at the mention of Neji.

“Oh,” Shikaku turned to face the boy, “I hit a soft spot?”

“Just go. You showed up, you did your damage, now go. That’s how it usually works, isn’t it?”

“Don’t tell me what to do, boy,” Shikaku said lowly.

“Don’t talk about him that way,” his son spat.

It sickened the elder Nara that his son spoke of the Hyuga as some diamond in the rough that he’d do just about anything for even if it meant talking back to his old man. Shikaku’s eyes lit up, warning the younger of what was to come before a fist connected to his lip. Shikamaru’s head went back. He held his lip and tasted the blood as it mixed with his saliva. He took no time to lunge forward and throw hits of his own, most of which Shikaku avoided or pushed to the side. However, one hit touched, knocking the man against a potted plant, causing it to crash to the ground. It shattered and its soil scattered across the tile. Shikamaru looked to it in shock at what he had done, giving Shikaku plenty of time to land another hit. This time, his fist collided with his son’s gut. “You had one job and it was a job I gave you. You didn’t have to work for it worth a damn and you can’t even step up to take it! Your brains were a gift that got you far ahead of anyone else in this damn town so I land you a job perfect for you and you can’t even step up to take it! You ran off, made your mother cry herself to sleep, made Tsunade lose hope and now you’re fucking around with some pissy tailed Hyuga that’s been kicked from his own clan? I can’t even get an heir from you, so what are you good for?” He yelled to Shikamaru who stood propped up by the cash register, winded by the blow.

“Just get out, Dad,” Shikamaru’s voice cracked.

“Now you can’t take a hit. Yeah, go ahead, cry! Feel what your mother felt all those days you decided to run off with that Hyuga boy!” He spat. “I ought to hit you again just for crying for no damn reason,” he said before stepping back to leave the shop. He left Shikamaru breathing heavily with a hand across his stomach. His head was lowered enough for his hair to curtain his face. Neji then stood from hiding now aware of the scale of intensity his situation was. The Hyuga held a hand over the Nara’s shoulder before it was gently pushed down. Shikamaru stood and inched behind the counter, eased his way back on to the stool and continued counting the day’s work in cash. Neji watched him; he was worried.

“Shikamaru,” Neji managed a level above a whisper.

“Damn it,” Shikamaru’s voice was a bit hoarse from the tears he choked on, “lost count.”

“Shikamaru,” Neji reached out.

“One, two…”

The Hyuga paused at the silence.

Shikamaru then continued after taking a breath, “…three, four…”

. . .

They lied in bed together. Shikamaru’s back was to the Hyuga. He had been silent after the incident and all the way back home. Neji did not want to push the boy to speak and – with time – figured the situation was best handled if it weren’t discussed straight away. The Nara was the type to sit on things for some time before speaking about it with another person, so Neji followed through with it. He reached ahead and placed a single hand against the shadow-nin’s back to remind the boy that he was there. Shikamaru put too much on himself. It started to reveal itself that the boy had been taught to take everything as they are simply because he was a man. He was not allowed to feel or express his sorrows aloud because he was a man. Before anything else, he was told that he was a man which is why he felt the way he did with Temari and why he never thought it fit for him to speak on matters that affected him. Neji wanted to break the mentality just as Shikamaru broke his own. He traced lines against the boy’s back to soothe him to sleep. He knew how the shadow-nin’s mind must run rapidly especially when there’s nothing to distract him. Because of what happened in the flower shop, the two never went out to spread the news of their relationship. His father’s message had been enough for them to know that there was no need. It was probably widely known by now. All they could do now was hope that no one close to them wished ill against them.


	18. Chapter 18

The sun hid on the morning of their weekend. It was raining from the minute they opened their eyes to the point they reached the breakfast table. It had been a long two weeks of countless stares and continuous labor. Both shinobi were tired and tense at the thought of their friends now despising them. Both were a bit too nervous to approach anyone from their group of companions, so they sat and watched the world shift around them. There was a muffled barking at the door. It boomed through the wooden outer walls and straight away they knew it was Akamaru. Shikamaru stood from his seat to open the door where he found everyone soaking wet, however, it didn’t prevent the large group from being cheerful just to see the Nara for the first time in a while.

“Hey, sorry it took us so long to all meet up, but Kiba kept forgetting his team had missions and Ino’s dad kept giving her errands and all that good stuff, but we’re here! We heard the news,” TenTen grinned widely.

Neji stood from his seat to watch each shinobi file in through the door. It was a surprise to see them all in the same place and for their cause.

“Bushy brows had to explain to me how the whole thing works between a…” Naruto scratched his head, “and a…”

Sakura whacked him in the arm.

“Ouch!” He rubbed the sore spot, “But then I got it! It’s no different from me and Sakura!” The comparison earned him another whack in the exact spot. Hinata dulled beside him.

“I don’t get why so many people would even have a problem with it. It’s pretty basic. If my dumb ass can get it, then it should be easy for everyone else,” Kiba shrugged, petting his ninja hound, “Our hounds taught us generations ago that an attraction between two mates was no different no matter the gender really. It’s not a big deal in my clan to be honest.”

“Same here,” Ino said.

“It’s more so unheard of in my clan. There isn’t exactly opposition,” Shino added.

“It’s forbidden in the Hyuga clan,” Hinata nearly whispered.

“Good thing you’re technically not a Hyuga anymore, huh?” TenTen teasingly elbowed Neji.

“I suppose,” the Hyuga half-agreed.

Lee then threw an arm around his companion’s shoulders and cried dramatically, “It is beautiful that you will be spending your youth in a trusty, amorous bond! I am so happy for you, Neji!”

“Thank you, Lee, now…”

“You!” the thick-browed boy pointed to Shikamaru, “I know that you and I have been friends for years but I will gladly end our friendship if you do something to hurt Neji!” He closed in on the Nara, “Just hope that your shadows can match my speed,” he hissed menacingly.

“No, Lee,” Neji said.

Choji stepped forward and placed a hand on his best friend’s shoulder, “Mom and Dad are processing it, but I’m sure they’ll come around. I have a lot of faith in them. They already spoke about talking to your parents with the help of Ino’s about the whole thing. I’m sorry they didn’t take it so well.”

Shikamaru nodded with a soft smile. It was comforting after what had happened two weeks back. He then heard Ginji’s door shut to silence the sudden early morning racket. He exchanged a familiar look with Neji before Sai took his turn to speak. “When is the wedding?” He asked honestly.

“Sai!” Sakura called. Ino squealed as she clapped hands together. TenTen gasped and Hinata giggled lightly.

“Tomorrow,” Shikamaru joked with a straight face. It brought an uproar of reactions, some gullible and some laughter having recognized the lie. “I’m kidding,” the Nara smiled and tucked his hands into his pockets. He then wondered if an act such as that was even legal in Konoha. His mind weighed heavily on the matter.

Hinata hugged her cousin and both Hyuga stuck to each other as minutes of continuous conversation ticked by. He was happy to still have her by his side through all of this.

“I’m sorry for the way I reacted that night,” Hinata’s small voice whispered an apology.

“Do not apologize. You are not at fault. You never were, Lady Hinata,” he assured.

“Hinata,” she said, “Just call me Hinata.”

Neji thought about it, “Alright,” He would have to adjust, “Hinata.”

“Remind us to keep you love birds apart on missions in the future,” Sakura giggled.

“Ugh, I can’t wait until your suspension is lifted, Neji! I’m so tired of having to actually look for things on missions,” TenTen complained.

“How much longer _is_ your suspension anyway?” Ino questioned.


	19. Chapter 19

“Wow another couple of months,” Izumo repeated.

“Yeah,” Shikamaru sighed, opening a jar of peach preserves made from one of the Yamanaka gardens. The two had another two months of suspension before they could resume their work as shinobi of the Hidden Leaf village.

Izumo sat back in his kitchen chair before Kotetsu sat on his lap without invitation. Izumo grunted in annoyance as the raven-haired male made himself comfortable. He knew he was being obnoxious purposefully, but Kotetsu hid the rise he was getting out of irritating the brunette beneath him.

Kotetsu leaned forward and bared his elbows against his knees, seemingly tuning into the conversation, “That’s crazy,” he said before taking a bite out of an apple he grabbed from a bowl that sat on the kitchen table. “Have you guys been training? You might be a bit rusty by now.”

“Like we had time to throw kunai and wrestle in the grass since we started work,” Shikamaru said before taking a bite out of his toast.

“Well today’s your day off,” Izumo pointed out.

“Who said we had the energy?” The Nara raised a brow. They all looked to Neji who had begun dozing off at the table. Shikamaru then turned to seal the preserves jar shut.

“You said my grandfather was out right?” Izumo asked.

“Just missed him,” the Nara confirmed.

“Is he even supposed to be out with that thing he keeps up his nose?” Kotetsu asked while charading the nasal tubes the best he could.

“Oxygen tank,” his partner deadpanned, “We’ll just come back later.”

“We can wait for him to get back,” Kotetsu said.

“You okay with that?” Izumo questioned. Kotetsu nodded, wiping his apple juice-stained hands against his vest, “Thanks, I love you. So, what are you guys doing today?”

Shikamaru shrugged, “Might join Neji.” The three looked to the Hyuga whose head now rested against the table. His back rose with slowed breaths.

“Neji,” Kotetsu called. “Neji,” he repeated. “Neji.” He paused. “Hey, Neji.”

Shikamaru walked to his partner and leaned over to where his face neared the side of Neji’s before pressing his lips against the Hyuga’s cheek. He then blew air, producing a “pht,” sound that woke the male from his brief slumber. Kotetsu let out a hearty laugh, Izumo was not as impressed. “Morning,” the Nara said. Neji moaned before shutting his eyes.

Kotetsu chuckled at the Hyuga’s response, “So,” he looked to the shadow-nin, “you guys share a room?”

“Yeah,” Shikamaru said as he grinned at the sleeping male. “Why?”

“Do you guys…”

“Kotetsu!” Izumo exclaimed.

Shikamaru stared at him lazily as he bit into the slice of bread.

“Do you have an idea of when my grandfather will be back?” Izumo asked, placing fingers to the bridge of his nose.

Shikamaru shrugged, “He left an hour ago. Something about seeing his friends.”

Both men gave the boy confused stares. “As long as I’ve known him, he never had friends; called them a waste of time,” Izumo said. “The only way he could see his friends is if he died since so many of them perished in the war,” Izumo laughed nervously.

Shikamaru stopped chewing, Kotetsu awkwardly fiddled with his hands, and Neji rose his head from the tabletop.

“I’ve always hated his humor,” Izumo commented quietly.

“It is twisted,” his partner agreed.

“Mh,” the brunette nodded.

“Well wherever he is, I’m sure he’s giving someone a hard time,” Shikamaru joked before turning to wash his hands in the kitchen sink.

. . .

“We tried our hardest to revive him, but he wouldn’t come back. He actually lived long past his expectancy which is very good for him,” the doctor smiled cheerfully. She continued to ramble but none of the four truly listened. Ginji’s passing had been sudden. Kiba recognized Ginji on the side of the road and reported that the mad had fallen unconscious, so he called for medical attention and raced to alert the four of what had happened. Even then and there in the emergency room, the Inuzuka tried to get their attention but his efforts blurred just like the woman’s words. Ginji’s heart had given out that day and none of them knew whether the elderly man felt it coming or not. It was all a mystery. His words earlier about seeing his friends could now be interpreted as his normal dark humor or a warning. No one knew. All anyone knew was that his heart had finally failed him on that day.

. . .

Shikamaru stood in the doorway of Ginji’s bedroom. Neji leaned against the hall wall. Neither of them knew what to do. They hadn’t known the man for long, but he still had such an impact on them. He had lightened heavy days and given them hope for being accepted by those around them. He was a symbol of change. Now, he was gone along with the atmosphere he created. Shikamaru leaned against the door’s frame as air escaped his lungs in a long, silent, slow exhale. Neji crossed his arms and watched the clouds through the windows. He then felt the Nara next to him enter the room and questioned his sudden intrusion. The Hyuga looked through the door to find the shadow-nin holding an envelope. He stared at the paper as he approached the boy and together, they read the note inside.

_I feel that I am not long for this world. With each day, my being grows more distant from my body, so I will write this now. I want to thank you ladies for showing me that no matter how little time I have left, it’s never too late to show an old dog new tricks. What I’m saying is you two brought my grandson back into my life which got me to open my eyes to the fact that my time was in fact limited. What good is there in spending the rest of it resenting the boy for something so small in the grand scheme of things? I’ve done worse things in my years and realizing this really put me in my place. Shikamaru, I want you to know that you should never downplay what you’re going through just because you’ve got something hanging between your legs. The stuff I heard the night that blond lady came in barking was pretty heavy stuff that no one should have to put up with. Be kinder to yourself or you’ll end up like me: old and breathing through straws. Neji I hope you grow apart from whatever your ragged clan had groomed you to be. You’re a great guy, but I’m not so sure you can see that yourself. Ironic, isn’t it? Make sure you’re honest with yourself and what you feel, too. Last, but not least, be there for each other. You’re in a world of mess together and can only rely on one another to be there for you at the end of the day, so be there. Protect each other, and please make sure that Kotetsu boy treats my guppy well. Until I see you next, I’ll be watching over you. Take care of one another_

_-Ginji_

The two stood in front of the letter and simply looked it over in silence. Though the time they shared was thin, Ginji had observed them enough to read them both like an open book. 

The letter was also that confirmation that the old man had known his time was coming to an end, and he had accepted it. Neji’s eyes dropped before looking to the Nara who held the note.

“You heard the old man,” the shadow-nin scoffed, “I’ve got something hanging between my legs,” he joked, gently waving the note back and forth. Neji recognized it as his typical defense against the vulnerability of letting any negative emotion take over. The Hyuga smiled and shook his head. He knew deep down that the Nara had taken the letter to heart. “I think there’s another one for Izumo and Kotetsu,” the shadow-nin pointed out a card that sat in the center of the bed.

. . .

Shikamaru and Neji sat side by side on the couch having delivered the letter to the couple some time back. They watched the outdoors through the large glass panels, Neji against the Nara’s shoulder, Shikamaru’s arm around the male. It was a silent and rather somber day of shock and remembrance. They both had work in the morning, so they should have been heading to bed. Instead, Shikamaru stood. Neji watched the boy cluelessly. The younger lifted the buckets of paint and sat them on the kitchen table. He looked through the drawers for a knife to wedge the lids loose. Neji walked to the table and looked at the buckets that sat side by side. “Now?” Neji found himself asking again.

Shikamaru recovered the item he had been looking for, washed the morning’s jelly from its tip, and spun to work the lids from the containers. Neji supposed it was another way for the Nara to chase any sort of feelings away. He needed a distraction. He placed a cool hand on Shikamaru’s own, “It’s okay to feel, Shikamaru, you taught me that.”

The Nara faced him and dropped his shoulders, “And I’ve let myself feel bad all day, now I want to do this,” he placed a hand on a bucket, “Can I?” he asked quietly. Neji flattened his lips at what he had said before removing his touch and nodding. He stepped back to allow the shadow-nin to do whatever it was he pleased before stepping back into their room to prepare himself for tomorrow’s line of work.

Neji showered, fingered through his hair, brushed his teeth all before lying in bed. He turned to face his father’s journal that sat on the nightstand beside him. He thought about where he had left off. The last thing he read was of his father being forced to forget the girl he had fallen in love with, for he had an arranged marriage he was obligated to attend. Only, the woman was nothing compared to the one his heart was truly set on. Many of his entries had shown the depressing effect the clan had on his father and it grew hard to read, so Neji fell behind on reading each part every night. He thought about that constant emptiness he felt when he was still a member of the clan. His life was lacking much of what Hizashi had expressed in his writing. Neji saw that now, he was aware all of what he was missing, and a big part of those things stood in the living room, working tirelessly to make sure the walls were covered evenly in a color that Neji had chosen himself. The Hyuga lied on his back and watched the ceiling above him before rising from the mattress and exiting the lonely room. As he walked through the hall, he pinned his hair up in a messy ponytail. He then grabbed a paint brush and dipped it to help the Nara whose focus he had broken with his unexpected entry. Neji painted a steady stroke downward until he came upon what seemed to be a small sketch on the wall. It was in pencil. He felt the Nara approach him from behind and join him in studying the artwork. The sketch was of Shikaku and Hiashi without arms. Neji looked to Shikamaru who now hovered his head over the Hyuga’s shoulder. The shadow-nin grinned approvingly at his own work.

“Do we have to paint over it?” He asked.

“Why without arms?” Neji asked.

“That way they can’t use them to give anyone a black eye or something. I guess I should’ve drawn Hiashi without a head actually,” the Nara began to ramble about the different ways he could have made his intentions stand out more clearly up until he heard Neji snort. He looked to the male with an amused expression. Neji covered his mouth and face, lowering his head. Shikamaru placed his bucket of paint on the wooden floor so he could use his hands to pry the Hyuga’s own away from his face and what he saw behind them lifted the Nara’s spirit a considerable amount. The elder’s eyes were shut to avoid seeing the boy’s reaction, but his smile was one that tried its hardest to suppress his laughter. Shikamaru admired the rare look as he held the male’s wrists in each hand. It made him happy. Only Neji had this effect on him that made everything else disappear. The Hyuga’s emotional state was only contagious to him. It was a powerful thing that drew the shadow-nin in. Finally, Neji gave in and dropped his head weakly as spouts of laughter escaped him.

“I love you.”

The three words made the elder’s laughter come to a complete stop. The suddenness of the statemen had caught him off guard. It stopped his train of thought. He raised his head to look into the Nara’s eyes as if to make sure that what he had heard had truly been said. Neji was visibly affected by the sentence. His wrists relaxed in the grip of Shikamaru’s hands. A sweet smile slowly took over the Hyuga’s features “I love you, too,” the male returned.


	20. Chapter 20

A loud screech pierced their ears and shook them from their den-bound slumber. Shikamaru jumped, effectively tossing himself from the couch and landing on top of the male who lie right by it. Neji let out a huff before looking to find a white parakeet standing in the center of the living room. It let out another piercing screech before Shikamaru pushed himself to his feet and ran after it, fueled by the irritation towards the rude awakening. He ran throughout the house trying to chase the boisterous bird as Neji worked himself to his feet. He saw that there were splotches of paint that stained his clothing from the night prior. He looked around to see that they had gotten far with the painting process. The only sections left were the hall and the two bedrooms. Still, both males were a mess, then the world started to come back to him when he noticed the sun shining brightly in the middle of the sky.

“Shikamaru,” he called as he stared blankly through the windows.

The Nara skidded to a stop down the hall, “What?” The bird flew into Ginji’s room and was followed by the angered boy.

“What time is it?” Neji asked.

Shikamaru came close to closing the winged nuisance in his arms when the question registered.

. . .

“I lost a new customer today because he walked in and guess what he said?” Their boss asked them.

Shikamaru and Neji stood there with their heads lowered. They had shown up three hours late to the barber shop and were now facing a scolding for their irresponsibility.

“They said this place made him so uncomfortable, he’d make sure not him _or_ his family would ever step foot in here again. Your little disappearing act made a fool out of my business! I don’t ask for much from you. I even let you two take your little days off, but not bothering to let me know when you just wouldn’t show up was kind of a half assed thing to do, I’m sure you’d agree,” he adjusted his large glasses and let out a heated breath before wiping his mouth, “forget it,” he shook his head, “you’re fired.”

. . .

“This is great! Now I get to see you guys more often! I stop by just about any time I can! Breakfast, lunch, dinner,” Naruto listed them off with a finger, “brunch. If I’m not full by then, then _maybe_ dessert,” he giggled.

“Uh-huh,” Shikamaru chopped scallions hating any factor that played in getting them to the point of working a food stop and Ichiraku at that.

“It’s great to have more hands on deck,” the owner grinned as he grilled thinly sliced beef for the Uzumaki’s order, “really puts a smile on this old face.”

“I’m happy too, Dad, but try not to work them too hard,” his daughter winked, “things can get pretty hectic around here. Maybe we should expand seating.”

“And lose that old-fashioned appeal? I think not and that is final, sweetheart,” her father said, “I don’t want to get too overwhelmed.”

“Okay, Dad,” she willingly surrendered. “How are you doing over here?” The girl hovered over Neji as he peeled the raw shrimp. “You’re doing a great job,” she complimented, placing a hand against his arm. Neji silently nodded, thanking the girl for the unnecessary recognition. “Alright,” she said with a friendly tap, “You keep at it,” she winked before smacking a wooden spoon to the Hyuga’s unsuspecting behind. Shikamaru snatched the utensil from the girl and placed it against the counter before going back to his task without sparing an expressional hint for his reasoning. The girl stared oddly at the boy. The jerky motion had been unexpected and nothing in her could explain it. The girl simply decided to move on and continue the task given to her by her father. Neji continued peeling the fresh caught shrimp with a small smile.

. . .

It was close to closing time at the Yamanaka flower shop again and Shikamaru prayed that nothing came to lengthen the night again.

The entrance bell rang, and the Nara readied himself for any sort of hostile or bothersome confrontation, but his readiness faltered at the sight of Hiashi Hyuga peering throughout the shop. The back door opened and in came Neji carrying bags of fertile soil. The male looked to his uncle and sat the bags aside before wiping his hands on the apron he wore around his waist. Shikamaru maintained a poor posture with his arms crossed as he sat behind the counter watching the two. He wondered if he should walk out just to give them privacy.

“Can I help you find anything?” Neji asked. Hiashi looked to Neji before he approached him. Shikamaru tensed and watched the man in the corner of his peripheral. Hiashi stopped right before the younger Hyuga. Neji looked up to his uncle and waited for him to speak. Just then, the head of the Hyuga clan averted his gaze.

“I do not know where you are currently living, but I was told I could find you here,” the man explained, “I was hoping that we could speak,” he said.

“About what?” Neji asked keeping a level head.

“Nothing in particular. I would like to catch up, discuss things,” the older man clarified before clearing his throat, “Only when you are free. Only if you would like to,” he corrected quickly.

Shikamaru slowly turned towards him at the peculiar display of uncertainty. The man began to reveal where Hinata’s lack of confidence may have come from.

“I understand if you wish to have nothing to do with me or anything associated with the Hyuga…” Hiashi continued.

“I am free on the weekends,” Neji answered. “We can meet in the park and discuss things then.”

Hiashi gave a single nod, incapable of reconnecting his eyes, “Until then,” he said before exiting the shop leaving the two dumbfounded.

“The hell…” Shikamaru raised a brow.

“I am unsure,” the Hyuga shook his head.

. . .

Naturally both Hyuga were early birds and functioned best during the earliest hours of the day, so they followed a trail at a time where the morning dew still stuck to the green blue grass of the park. Neither could find much to speak about so much of their walk had been silent so far.

“Thank you for the gifts,” Neji said.

“Of course,” Hiashi returned. They trailed side by side for another few silent moments. “What are you doing now that you are apart from the clan?”

“Working multiple part time jobs until my suspension is lifted,” Neji answered.

“Hard labor.”

“We have to make a living until our main source of income becomes available to us. We will be able to serve as ninja in two months.”

“Two months,” Hiashi repeated. He knew that he had aided in setting their suspension; yet another thing he did to harm the boy. “Let me help you.”

“What do you mean?” Neji questioned.

“Let me pay them until you are able to get back to work.”

“No, you have given me enough. I am grateful for the gifts you have provided and the changes you have planned for the Hyuga clan, however I could not bring myself to accept any more of your kindness, Lord Hiashi,” the boy declined politely.

“Hiashi,” the elder corrected. It was another name change the younger would have to adjust to. “Do not think of it as kindness. Think of it as something I owe you, which I do at the very least, Neji. You would not be suspended if it were not for me. Allow me to pay for any finances that stunt you.”

Neji watched the dirt underneath them pass by as they took each step before raising his head at the proposal, “Alright,” he decided. He thought back to Ginji’s note that told him to know his worth. He was worth as much as any other human being he came to find out. He, just like anyone else, could accept generosity.

His uncle nodded upon hearing the acceptance of his proposal.

Neji kept his head leveled versus tipped to the ground and looked to things all around them as he mustered up the courage for his next words. He pressed his lips into a flat line and breathed slowly. Closing his eyes, he opened his mouth. “Do you know?”

“Know what?” Hiashi asked.

Neji knew the man didn’t leave the Hyuga residence often based off of his experience in the past. “About me,” he added.

“What about you?” Hiashi continued to question.

Neji didn’t like how it looked as if he would have to say it bluntly. He was hoping the band aid had already been ripped clean off, but he would have to be the one to tell his uncle of his current status and hope that he was different from Shikaku in every aspect. “I am seeing someone.”

That alone was enough to delay his uncle’s next words, “Really?”

Neji nodded.

“Well,” he thought about what he wanted to say carefully, “congratulations. I hope you two live a long, fulfilling life together.” Hiashi didn’t ask for a name thankfully, still Neji felt as though he should tell the man. He knew Hiashi would find out one way or another, so he felt compelled to be the one to tell him. He wanted to see firsthand how the man would respond. Still, the younger found it strange that he would care at all about the opinion of someone who claimed to have no association with him only weeks ago. No, it shouldn’t surprise him. From the very beginning, he had worried what anyone around them would think. He needed to let go of that concern and live for himself, no one else.

He kept his mouth shut for the rest of the walk until one of them decided that they had circled the area enough.

. . .

“How was it?” Shikamaru asked from where he was sprawled out on the sofa.

“He was not aware of us being together. I still chose not to tell him.”

“Oh,” Shikamaru sat up and looked to the male over the back of the sofa, “does he live under a rock? I was sure everyone would’ve caught wind by now.”

“Yes, actually. He never leaves his house,” Neji said.

“Hm,” the Nara hummed.

“He did say he would cover all living expenses until our suspension is lifted.”

“Oh, thank the gods,” Shikamaru groaned, tossing his head back pitifully, “I hate part time jobs. You know I have a new respect for everyone who does stuff like this because it’s a drag dealing with people and their problems,” he complained as he stretched.

“Yes, but what would we do in our free time?” Neji asked.

“Well, we could maybe finish painting,” he suggested looking at the unfinished patches down the hall, “start training like Kotetsu said…”

“When did he say that?”

“You were asleep, you missed the whole thing, don’t worry about it,” he explained in one breath before continuing to list the possibilities, “We could – I don’t know,” he shrugged, “go out more, stay in more. Anything just to use up our freedom before we’re running around the clock again. We have two months,” he said, lying back down against the couch. “Oh yeah, while you were out that damn bird came back in and got into the paint.”

Neji looked to see bird footprints that stretched across the kitchen floor and trailed towards Ginji’s door before they started to fade.

“The bird’s freaky. It doesn’t know how to be afraid of things bigger than itself,” Shikamaru swayed his hand lazily in the air.

Neji walked to the center of the beginning of the hall and stared directly into the late man’s room, “It is strange,” he agreed.


	21. Chapter 21

“You haven’t grown shabby at all,” TenTen panted as she flew back with nun chucks in hand. She smirked before steadying her weight. Assuming a new position she studied her spar partner’s motions. Neji was heavily guarded and offered nothing for her to take advantage of, still he circled at a constant, slow pace. She charged headfirst, taking the Hyuga off guard. The kunoichi locked eyes with her opponent with a look of mischief, “So, is he good in bed?”

Neji’s eyes rounded in disbelief as his previously clear mind was clouded with the Nara and her reasoning for asking, allowing the girl enough time to work the boy to knife point. She giggled at the success of her premeditated attack.

“Got ya,” she said with a wink. “Maybe you are a bit more rusty than I thought,” she playfully pouted, backing away from her teammate. She did not expect the male to stand there in a daze. His cheeks were a slight shade of pink, but he offered no reaction. He simply stood still. “Neji?” she tilted her head, “I was just messing around. You really don’t have to give details, you know that right?”

“I was not going to,” he shook his head, eyes locked on the grass before him. It wasn’t often the male was placed in an awkward and embarrassing social situation. It had been so sudden. TenTen looked him up and down with a heightened eyebrow. Her hands joined behind her back before she adopted a friendly smile.

“Well, what is he like overall? Is he sweet, romantic, thoughtful? I always thought he was just lazy and didn’t care much for others,” she sat in the grass and leaned back, propping her upper body weight up with her hands, “Sit, Neji talk to me.”

Neji eased himself to the ground and remained idle for some seconds before finally looking to the girl to his left. He could not explain the sudden bashful feeling that arose within him, but the feeling made the boy’s eyes drift to the grass between them. “He is… all of those,” he admitted quietly, incapable of speaking of the Nara whilst looking to the listener.

“Sweet, romantic, thoughtful, lazy _and_ careless?” TenTen asked honestly.

Neji nodded as a small smile crept on to his face. The girl noted this. It was a widely known signal of a person taking a liking for whoever it was they were thinking of. It was exciting. She beamed geekily.

“He wants us to be open about our relationship, but it worries me,” he watched the clouds as they wafted over the training field, thinking of the Nara, “It is the possible harassment and hinderance of occupational openings that concerns me.”

TenTen leaned forward and bared her elbows against her crossed legs. She studied the male intently, “Is that how your clan is? Would they look at you differently?” She asked. The Hyuga nodded.

“Well, Neji, not everyone in the village is a part of your clan. I know you’ve been surrounded by your own for as long as you can remember which explains your preference to be closed off towards the rest of everyone else, but you can’t keep living in fear because of your uncle and his henchmen,” she went on.

“I know. He is making an effort now.”

“Hinata told me about him uniting the different branches which is exciting. Are you going to rejoin the clan?” She asked tracing a stick in the dirt.

“I am not sure.”

“Fair enough,” she sighed, “He can say he’s fixing things, but he might not have even lifted a finger. I mean no offense, but I’d trust Shikamaru before I’d ever trust a Hyuga.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Well you know better than anyone else that your clan can’t be trusted…”

“No, why do you use Shikamaru as an example?” Neji looked to the girl once again.

She sighed and rolled her head to the side. It was her turn to look to the wispy clouds, “You know, he’s not exactly a liar, but if he doesn’t feel like telling the whole truth then he can cut corners and play mind games until you’re convinced that you know all you need to know. Do you know what I mean?” She picked up a small rock and studied it.

“That does sound like him,” Neji shook his head, mentally shaming the shadow-nin.

TenTen’s uneasiness left her seeing that she had not told the Hyuga something he had yet to find out. She thought she had overstepped her boundaries by insisting Shikamaru to be a liar. “Man, you are really in love with him, aren’t you?” She giggled lightly.

Neji thought back two nights. The moment they had said it aloud. Shikamaru holding Neji’s wrists by his head, face to face, right as they took the challenge of repainting in the middle of the night, under the living room’s dim light close to the darkness of the adjacent hallway. Shikamaru had said it first. It was the only thing Neji was sure about when it came to the connection that they shared so he had said it without hesitation. At least he thought he was sure. His smile faded. “I’m not sure.”

“What?” The girl exclaimed, “You’re together aren’t you?”

“That does not promise a mutual bond,” Neji countered.

“What’s with you, Neji? It’s so obvious that you like him a lot. Why are you questioning it now?”

“I start to wonder if our connection was contorted through being in impossible situations and making it out each time side by side. I worry that the feeling we share may fade once we begin to realize this.”

“Well you’ve realized it. Have your feelings started to disappear?” TenTen questioned.

Neji lowered his gaze.

“You’re thinking too hard. This is the happiest and most expressive I’ve ever seen you. Before you were hardly human, now you’re just living your life as who you are! Don’t give that up just because of some random fears you get at night. Even if it is what you think it is – I doubt it – but even _if_ , then just enjoy it while the both of you would do absolutely anything for each other. Love doesn’t move according to logic, Neji,” TenTen argued.

. . .

“That’s it?” Ino asked the lazy boy who lied on the floor of her living room. She looked to him from over the couch that Choji was seated on, “You aren’t giving us a whole lot to work with,” she deflated.

“What do you want me to say?” Shikamaru crossed his arms behind his head.

Ino hopped over the back of the sofa and landed next to the Akimichi with a bounce, “What all do you like about him? I’m sure it’s not just because he’s _simple_ like you keep saying. I mean what even happened all that time you guys were away?”

“He opened up and I liked what was inside,” the Nara shrugged.

Choji’s chewing came to a stop, Ino stilled as both of their minds took off. At the silence the shadow-nin opened a single eye and looked to the two. At the sight of their faces, he sat up with a quickness, “Not like that! I just got to speak with him more than ever and…”

Ino grinned.

Shikamaru deadpanned.

Choji was unsure of how he felt about the suggestive conversation.

“No,” the shadow-nin finalized. He fell back against the wooden floor, “We spoke, got to know each other and ended up liking what we found, that’s it.”

Ino giggled.

Choji found comfort.

Shikamaru rolled over in annoyance.

“How many dates have you been on?” Ino asked.

Shikamaru thought back to when they went out to choose a paint color for the house’s damaged walls, but then dismissed it once he remembered they had been chased through the night by a Hyuga that more than likely wanted their heads. He had never really thought about individual dates since then, “Uh,” he and Neji just sort of claimed one another and kept working, “To tell you the truth, after we were done making sure his clan didn’t kill us, we worked three different jobs then passed out as soon as we walked through the door. Didn’t really have time for all that.”

“Well, now you do!” Ino cheered, “I have some recommendations if you wanna hear them,” she grinned.

“No.”

“Okay so you guys could go out to eat, watch a movie, paint, shop…”

“Maybe you guys can watch the clouds,” Choji interrupted.

Shikamaru flipped over to look at his best friend, “Would he like that sort of thing?”

Ino’s brow twitched at being actively ignored.

Choji shrugged, “I don’t know him any better than you did before you left the village.”

“He doesn’t really show a liking towards anything,” he collapsed again, “damn,” he groaned. “Romance is such a drag.”

Inoichi walked in, stirring some sort of batter in a large bowl, “Well what does he like?”

“I don’t know, man. When I visited his old place, the only décor was a photo of his dad.”

“Ask him,” Inoichi suggested.

Shikamaru scoffed, “I already know what he’ll say,” he intertwined his fingers and lied them against his stomach, “I thoroughly enjoy soba, but I am not much else aware of my own preferences,” he imitated making Ino snort, Choji choke and Inoichi hum in thought. The man looked to his bowl before lighting up.

“Ah! I’ve got an idea! Learning things together strengthens the bond, try making something together like baked goods or a meal you’ve never attempted.”

The Nara thought about how much they had both enjoyed themselves just by painting together. 

Last night, Shikamaru, being untalented when it came to such things as painting walls, had reached over to paint a spot he had missed, successfully knocking over a pail of paint, spilling the contents across Neji’s feet. Neji then stared the Nara down silently. Shikamaru was sure that the elder by then would lower his brush and head to bed like he was initially planning to do, but instead, the male stroked his paint brush down the shadow-nin’s cheek. Shikamaru remembers it being cold. Neji had done it without any visible feeling in his face. Just when that should have made them even, Shikamaru drug his fingers down the paint streak on his face and planted two off-white fingerprints on Neji’s bare forehead. He remembered soon regretting it, thinking that the specific area may have been a sensitive spot for the Hyuga. He opened his mouth to apologize before Neji bent down, placing a single hand in the puddle of paint, pressing it against the center of Shikamaru’s chest. They continued to play like children in this manner; it was stupid, Shikamaru will admit, but it was entertaining in the moment. Now they needed more paint.

“Kay,” Shikamaru said to Inoichi’s idea before rising and exiting the house without further conversation.


	22. Chapter 22

“I cannot, I have to meet with Hiashi today.”

“Maybe we can do so another day, I have plans with Hinata.”

“I agreed to help TenTen sharpen her weapons today.”

“I promised a spar with Lee. We can do it once I return.” But, once he came home, he was too exhausted to lift an arm. For days now, Neji had been tangled up in something he agreed to doing prior to Shikamaru’s proposals of doing something together. Not only did it disappoint the shadow-nin, it made him realize that the Hyuga had much of a more active social life than himself. It was a bit unexpected, but he couldn’t hate on it. Whenever Neji took a rain check, Shikamaru ended up lounging around the house, cloud gazing, napping, thinking. He wasn’t easily bored so he was perfectly fine doing those things repeatedly. He would even train with Choji at times, though not often. It was usually the Akimichi who had to just about beg his friend to come out of the house.

Neji was out with team Gai whilst Shikamaru lied on the couch in the middle of a cool afternoon. Whenever he was home alone, the lights would rarely come on; he preferred darkness. He allowed his mind to run and run even to the depths of irrelevance. He would come up with random equations and solve them mentally without batting an eye. He would predict the outcomes of scenes that may never occur. He took an imaginary swim all while never leaving the couch. Truly his mind was like another reality he could trap himself in for all eternity if it were quiet and dark enough. The walls still needed to be finished and the bird’s prints had yet to be scrubbed from the floor. “Damn bird,” he mumbled at remembering the fact. Just then a loud tapping sounded from the living room’s window. The Nara jumped and looked to find said bird flying before the glass, pecking away at it repeatedly. He rose to his feet reluctantly before banging back against the glass in an attempt to scare the thing away. It simply fluttered its wings until it reached the ground. The Parakeet rotated its head until Shikamaru was in its sight. The shadow-nin stared down at it with a bored expression. He yawned before seating himself against the ground. He pressed a single finger against the glass where the bird’s eye was. The animal then lightly pressed its beak before Shikamaru’s finger. The boy half smiled at the bird’s peculiarity.

“Damn bird,” he repeated through heavy lids, “Why do you keep coming back?” He whispered.

The winged being opened its mouth. The Nara guessed it squawked; luckily, the glass muffled the piercing sound.

“Glad I’m on this side,” he sighed, “there’s nothing much here anyways. Unless you’re gonna help me paint, then get lost,” he said before standing. The bird hopped along the trim of the window until Shikamaru was out of sight. The Nara walked through the hall and saw that the bird continued to follow him. It watched his every move. Shikamaru entered his and Neji’s bedroom and dropped himself on the mattress. Then the tapping came again. Shikamaru removed his arm from his eyes and raised his head enough to look through the window. It was smaller and rectangular in shape. It was in the upper corner of the wall, too high for anyone on the inside or outside to peer through. Yet, there hovered the parakeet refusing to lose interest. “What do you want?” Shikamaru stood and opened the sliding doors to the right of the bed. It flew right in, sparing no time between entry and perching on the top of the wardrobe. The Nara sighed and rubbed his hand down his face. “Can you leave?” He asked pointlessly. The bird only turned its head to spy on the boy before letting out another squawk. This combined with the trip to the Land of The Birds made him realize how much be disliked the winged rats. Shikamaru opened the door and stared at the animal waiting for it to get the message. Instead of exiting the house, it flew towards the Nara. He tried to swat it away in a frantic swinging of arms until he stopped for a minute to catch his breath only for the bird to sit itself on his shoulder. He stood there and prayed that it wouldn’t try to grab his earring. Much to his surprise, the parakeet actually nuzzled against him. He didn’t want to lose his urge to get the fiend to leave, but the affectionate action dropped his fighting spirit drastically. He simply stood there, irked by his situation but didn’t want to start flailing about again just to avoid the racket from the thing that sat comfortably on his shoulder. “Troublesome.”

. . .

Neji opened the door to the house, “Shikamaru, are you ready to make the dumplings you were talking about?” He sat the ingredients on top of the kitchen table before looking to the boy’s signature ponytail that stuck out from over the couch. He approached the boy and saw that he sat with the very bird he complained about countless times. The parakeet hopped in circles on the floor as the Nara tossed it tree nuts. “I thought you despised the bird.”

Shikamaru shrugged before clapping his hands together to clear it of the bits of nuts which the bird began to peck off the ground. He stood and faced the elder, “Yeah I’m ready, Inoichi gave me written instructions for the recipe,” he said taking the list from his pocket. The loud sound of the animal’s wings flapping sounded from behind the Nara as it took off for Ginji’s room. “Just let it. There’s something about his room the thing likes. I’ll just clean up whatever it drops.”

Neji turned from Ginji’s room to Shikamaru with a look of uncertainty, “Alright,” he nearly stuttered, “Well, I brought the ingredients.”

They stood over the table that was packed with the tools and ingredients necessary for the dish they were attempting.

“What comes first?” Neji asked.

“Oh, uh,” the Nara uncrumpled the slip of paper. He squinted and brought the instructions close to his face, “his handwriting isn’t great.”

Neji rounded the table to look at it over the shadow-nin’s shoulder, “combine the flour, salt, and warm water,”

“Hm,” Shikamaru hummed. He didn’t expect the male to be able to discern the writing at all.

“What comes next?” Neji questioned.

“Uh,” he narrowed his eyes again, “roll out dough,” he spoke slowly due to struggling with its legibility, “Oh make sure you put flour on that,” he pointed to the table top. “Knead until smooth.”

After doing so, the Hyuga looked to Shikamaru awaiting his next orders.

“Do you want me to do the next couple of parts?” The Nara offered.

They alternated positions every two steps along the way until it came time to assemble the actual dumplings themselves. They each held dough in their hands and filled its center with about a tablespoon of filling before sealing them as to be sure the contents did not spill. Neji looked at a dumpling that Shikamaru called himself completing. The majority of it appeared to be dough that lacked a lot of the shrimp filling. It prompted the Hyuga to watch the Nara as he worked. Not to his surprise, the boy seemed to be anything but diligent with assembling the ingredients. Neji placed a floured hand on the back side of the Nara’s that held the raw dough. The elder then scooped a sizable amount of the shrimp and vegetables and carefully lied it in the center of the dumpling. He allowed the shadow-nin to hold it as he used water to dampen its perimeter enough to seal the dough. He then took it from the Nara’s palm and placed it against the floured counter. Shikamaru allowed the wordless instructions and decided to copy them. He repeated Neji’s motions in a slower manner than he cared for, but he wanted to do it right. He cared. He found himself caring more often these days. In the time the Nara completed three dumplings, Neji had completed seven.

“I will begin heating the oil while you fill the dumplings,” Neji said. Shikamaru kept his focus on the dough in his hand as he nodded silently. Neji did as he said he would and began dumping them in by fours due to the skillet being rather small. As they cooked, he glanced over to the boy who was working carefully without a sound. The Hyuga looked over the ones the boy had finished. They’ve improved greatly since he’s slowed down the pace. Neji slightly smiled at his dedication. “They look good,” Neji commented quietly.

“They better because this is a pain,” Shikamaru mumbled. It was only partly true. He was rather enjoying the task. It’s been a while since he’s been challenged.

Neji scooped the cooked dumplings from the oil and loaded the skillet with a new batch, “What do you want to do after this?” He asked.

Shikamaru shrugged. He honestly thought they would both just fall asleep after eating. There wasn’t much to do especially when the day was on the brink of nightfall, “You aren’t tired?”

“Are you?” Neji returned as he watched the dumplings cook.

“Always,” Shikamaru answered.

“Then, we can go to sleep for the night.”

“I’ve had three naps since you left this morning.”

“We can watch the clouds,” Neji offered.

Shikamaru was genuinely surprised at the suggestion. Choji had actually been on to something all those days ago. He feared it would bore the male, but come to think of it, the Hyuga’s hobby was meditation.

“Yeah,” Shikamaru said, “That’d be good.”


	23. Chapter 23

They retreated to the seclusion of their fenced back yard with a plate full of dumplings. Shikamaru lied on his back with the Hyuga sitting upright next to him, only the dumplings separated the two. By then the sky had faded from a combination of pink and oranges to pinks and purples. The first star appeared and shone brightly over them.

“What do you like about the clouds?” Neji asked as he watched them drift.

Shikamaru shrugged, “They just pass over everything. They’re calming.”

Neji considered it and found no fault in his words.

“Especially when your mind is always going. They’re slow, easy to look at,” the Nara continued. He grabbed a dumpling and popped it into his mouth. Neji eased himself on to his back to fully join the boy next to him. He could honestly fall asleep just like this against the grass exposed to the cool air.

“Are we really doing this?” Neji asked, uncertainty present in his tone.

“Watching clouds in the grass? Yes.”

“No, I mean… Are we really what we say we are?”

That question made Shikamaru knit his brow. It was unexpected and highly concerning. “Do you not want to be?” He asked.

“I do it’s just…”

Shikamaru sat up and looked right at him, “Just what?” His lazy aura was still there but a bit of it showed some hostility. It made Neji bite his tongue. Though Neji was adept at hiding his troubles, Shikamaru could spot how his reaction made the Hyuga tense up so he sighed to calm his nerves. He then crossed his legs and fully rotated in the grass to where all of him was facing Neji. “What’s wrong?” He questioned in a more collected manner.

Neji shook his head to dismiss the topic.

“You having second thoughts?” Shikamaru raised a brow casually. He didn’t sound too hurt. In fact, the question came out almost as if he already knew the answer was no.

The Hyuga windened his eyes, “No, no. I suppose I just question if what we say we feel is really…” He paused as he thought. He did not want to mislead the boy.

Shikamaru lied back down, “Neji, I like you a lot. That much is easy to tell, if you don’t feel the same way just let me know so I can let my dad know if I’m giving the clan an heir or not.”

His bluntness made it harder for the elder to collect his thoughts. It sounded as if Shikamaru had a back up plan in the case that the two of them didn’t work out. Surely, he had to think that what they have arranged between them could backfire in order to come to that conclusion. Perhaps the thoughts stemmed from the shadow-nin having his own doubts. Neji searched his eyes, “What?”

Shikamaru supported his upper weight on his elbows, “If things aren’t working out for you, then I’ll just go marry some woman and give the Nara clan an heir for once I pass on or something.”

Something about that made the Hyuga feel off and he guessed the boy next to him saw a shift in his expression because Neji now had Shikamaru’s undivided attention.

“No,” the shadow-nin breathed, now sitting up fully all over again, “Neji, hear me. I like you. _You_ , not anyone else, _you_. Okay? You come _first_ , my clan comes second. I’d hate to shack up with some troublesome woman and force a child when I could just watch clouds, play shogi – I don’t know – meditate or something with you. You’re not a pawn in a scheme or however you’re seeing it right now,” he looked into Neji’s blank eyes and saw that the Hyuga was still listening to his own mind versus the Nara’s explanation.

The Hyuga nodded. He wanted so badly to listen to the voice of reason, but something wasn’t allowing him.

“Neji…”

There was a dull yet audible thumping from within the house. Shikamaru supposed it was the door. Whoever was there had to be knocking rather hard for them to hear it from where they were. The two stood and made their way inside.

Shikamaru opened the door to find none other than Shikaku Nara and a Hiashi Hyuga. Neither of which appeared to be overly joyed to see the boys. The Nara clan head must have informed the Hyuga’s leader.

“Come in,” Neji said against Shikamaru’s silent wishes. The Nara reluctantly stepped aside, easing the door open with a loud, prolonged creak.

. . .

Shikaku sat at the kitchen table, Hiashi stood on the other side of the surface. Both boys watched them from the door. It was silent for the first few minutes. Night had finally cast itself across the village making their sudden visit ever more ominous. Shikamaru then approached his father, grabbed an empty seat and dragged it to the other side of the room, closer to Neji. He then sat in the chair backwards, keeping his eyes glued on his old man. The stare was returned. Shikaku’s lids were heavy as always with his head supported by his hand. He never looked away from his son. As the two locked eyes, the Hyugas did the same. No one knew how to begin the conversation, but they were all already well aware of what the topic may be.

Then, Shikaku let out a strange chuckle that dragged out. He seemed sleepily delirious; he may have been drunk. He then inhaled deeply, “So what do we do now?” The man asked in a gruff voice before slowly scratching his goatee.

“I don’t know, you tell me. You’re the ones who showed up unannounced,” Shikamaru said cooly. He cooked at how his father would side with a man that was suspected of attempting to murder him in his own home. His father sided with him if it meant his cause was supported in greater numbers.

“Neji, you are the strongest Hyuga we have had in generations. Think about how your blood should be passed on to further strengthen the clan,” Hiashi interrupted. Neji did not respond. He simply closed his eyes and kept a level head.

“Hear that?” Shikaku said bitterly, “They need him to provide to his clan, but he can’t do that unless you stop thinking of what you want and stop it with this whole thing. I don’t know if you’re doing this to piss me off, but it’s old. I got it, already,” he smiled, “You hate me, so what? You gonna turn your back on your clan?” Even though those words were directed towards his son, Neji felt them seep into his train of thought.

“We made dumplings if you want some. You can take the whole thing to go if you want,” Shikamaru hinted.

“You do not have to come back to the clan, Neji. Marry someone of the clan and contribute to the next generation of Hyuga,” Hiashi said.

Shikamaru broke the barrier of speaking cross family, “Do you hear yourself?”

Hiashi looked to the boy who he did not expect to speak towards him, though only his eyes flickered towards him.

“You keep saying he’s free. The first time you said it, we were nearly killed by your own, now you want him to marry someone of the Hyuga clan just so he can give you a kid who’s also promised false freedom?” Shikamaru put boldly.

“Shikamaru, stay in your place,” Shikaku grumbled.

The younger Nara looked to his father resentfully, “I don’t even know why you’re here. We’ve had this conversation already, remember? You busted my lip, just another thing Neji had to heal.”

“Neji,” Shikaku threw his hands into the air as he repeated the name exasperatedly, “I don’t understand why you’re so obsessed with this…” he studied said Hyuga, “ _boy_! You both put yourself in legal danger and then call it love,” he laughed as he shook his head, “I thought you were a genius, boy. Now I’m wondering if we should get your head checked. Any normal person would be able to see that a stunt like that would do nothing other than put two people close together not turn into some sick ‘love’ as you call it.”

“Because you’re an expert” Shikamaru slyly commented, knowing that public image was the only thing keeping his parents together. Shikaku’s face darkened as he stood from his seat. His son then shot up from his chair and locked the man in a shadow possession jutsu. He knew a drunken beat down was going to commence had he not stopped the man in his tracks. When he was like this, Shikaku couldn’t care less for others being around. He thought it normal for a father to beat his child if his child were to step out of line; his intoxicated state only prevented him from holding back at times. Hiashi turned a blind ear and eye to the commotion of the Nara and continued speaking to his nephew.

“Do you wish ill against your clan, Neji?” He asked.

“No, Lord Hiashi,” Neji denied.

“Add your blood to the Hyuga, and we will grow strong. You are unlike anyone of us I have seen in my lifetime. You surpass your father, Neji.”

The younger Hyuga tried not to show any signs of falter at the mention of his father. He then raised his head in an attempt to not look too submissive, but he kept his eyes to the ground.

“Fine, do not marry. Give us offspring and we will no longer show face at your doorstep,” Hiashi settled.

“If I refuse?”

The clan head was in disbelief at what he had heard. He was used to the boy submitting to him regardless of the order. Hiashi then raised his chin a level higher than Neji’s, keeping his white eyes on the boy across the room.

“You’re biting the hand that fed you, boy,” Shikaku hissed to his son. Using the clan’s jutsu in such a way was shameful, it was akin to stealing money from one’s mother’s purse, “look at this. You’ve possessed my shadow for what? What did you think I was gonna do? Push you around a bit?” He smirked.

Shikamaru tried to keep his cool. His father angered him like no other, yet he kept a bored expression, “Actually I was sure you’d throw in a black eye for good measure.”

“You’re testing my patience, boy,” his father warned. “You’d really go through so much to be the laughingstock of the village when you could lead your clan and operate missions close to the Hokage herself?”

“You say ‘the Hokage’ as if you weren’t just secretly resenting Tsunade for being a woman some time back,” Shikamaru said. Though Shikaku didn’t voice the hatred, Shikamaru picked up on it when he was younger.

“Release me,” his father ordered. Every playful aspect of him faded at being exposed in such a way, especially in front of another clan head. He viewed it as disrespect.

“If you leave at the moment of disconnect,” Shikamaru began to bargain.

“Then consider leading the clan,” Hiashi said suddenly making everyone look to him in shock. “Use your strength and cool temperament to lead the Hyuga clan to glory. I know you would do well.”

Neji narrowed his eyes.

“It’s just another trick to lure you back into the clan,” Shikamaru said.

“Get out,” Neji said calmly, “Both of you, or we will go to the police.”

Both heads of either clan were surprised at the boy’s initiative. Hiashi stared him down for some moments more before taking for the door, leaving the room a bit emptier. Shikamaru released the hold he had on his father and watched him intently, readying for any sudden movements. Shikaku simply looked to the boy with sharp eyes being the only portal that hinted towards his raging temper, before following after Hiashi. Shikamaru locked the door as Neji watched the floor. Before Shikamaru could spare a word, Neji had taken for their room.


	24. Chapter 24

Mrs. Yamanaka was knitting in the comfort of the rocking chair in her room when she heard the front door open.

“Inoichi, did you get the ladle like I asked? If not, then I can’t make the soup for dinner,” she called out as she rocked back and forth.

No answer was given, so she supposed it was her daughter instead.

“Ino? You’re back from the flower shop rather early. Is everything alright?”

No answer.

Just then, she heard a soft knock at her door. The woman lowered the half-knitted blanket and looked to the entry, “Come in,” She said softly. The door opened revealing Shikamaru Nara who stood there with his typically bored appearance. “If you’re looking for Ino, she may still be at the shop,” she said before continuing her work easing herself into a rocking motion all over again.

“That’s fine,” he said as he entered. He stood awkwardly and shifted his weight from time to time as he studied the room. The Ino-Shika-Cho trio gave them plenty of exposure to one another, so it was nothing for any one of them to appear in the homes of another and act as if it were their own. “I actually just wanted to see you, see how it’s going,” Shikamaru rubbed the back of his neck looking to the dresser by the large bed.

That got the woman to drop her task. She studied the boy for what may have been the matter. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, just don’t talk to anyone much these days,” he shrugged.

“Come here,” she held her arms out pitifully. The boy swayed over lazily until he stood right before her. She stood and hugged him. It was one of her usual, gentle hugs from the woman being rather frail. She grabbed the crook of his arm and motioned him over to the bed. Shikamaru drug his feet until the two of them sat side by side. “What’s wrong?” She locked her hazel eyes with his own black ones.

Shikamaru looked away and shook his head, promising that his visit wasn’t a result of anything other than simply wishing to check in on her.

“It is your mother?”

He shook his head.

“Your father?”

He lied backwards until he was positioned horizontally across the bed. He stared to the ceiling and offered no answer. The woman watched him and decided that she may have to speak his language to get much out of him. Out of the three, Shikamaru had always been the one more emotionally closed off, she knew this. It was harder for him to admit there was a problem. Just him coming into the house, seeking her showed a drastic amount of progress even if he couldn’t find comfort in really speaking from his chest. In an attempt to hopefully add to that little bit of comfort he had, Mrs. Yamanaka mirrored the boy and lied horizontally until they both faced the ceiling, waiting for the other to speak.

“Everything’s a drag,” he exhaled before closing his eyes.

“Especially when no one listens,” she added. She and Inoichi had taken part in joining Choji’s parents in speaking with the Nara head and his wife about the matter between Neji and their son. The Nara’s parents put on a decent show to get the Ino-Cho pairs to dismiss their concerns, but Mrs. Yamanaka knew better. She was sure that all four of them knew better, but she had been concerned about the boys day in and day out for a while since meeting with the Nara couple.

“Yeah, that,” Shikamaru responded.

“How about some angel cake?” She offered with a soft smile.

. . .

They sat before one another on the ground of the kitchen as opposed to the chairs next to them. For as long as she’d known the boy, he had preferred the ground over proper seating. It was a mystery to her, but she could tell that he needed some sort of comfort right now and she wanted to provide it even if he never told her exactly what had taken place since she had last seen him. She watched him as he chewed on the freshly baked cake. He picked at the rest of it. Mrs. Yamanaka couldn’t count the times Shikamaru asked her to bake the cake in his childhood; it was his favorite or at least her version was his favorite. Him doing anything but devouring it only further confirmed that something wasn’t right.

“Do you think I should stop it?” Shikamaru asked suddenly. His face didn’t budge, but it was an honest question.

“No,” she knew by it he meant his relationship with Neji.

“Does it bother you?”

“Not at all. Neji seems like a nice boy.”

They continued to eat in silence – the only sound being their forks tapping the small china plates.

“Troublesome,” he mumbled suddenly. The woman didn’t add anything to it. She stayed silent to allow the boy to decide whether or not he would speak on his thoughts. She was never one to force things from anyone; if they weren’t going to give it, then she didn’t want it. “He hates our guts.”

“How do you know that?” She asked knowing he meant his father.

“A split lip and bruises speak for themselves,” he half-joked.

The information was to be taken lightly, but the mother in her wouldn’t allow it to. Shikaku beats Shikamaru. It was no wonder she often saw the boy wandering the streets or claiming rooftops as a resting spot in his youth. She always knew Shikaku wasn’t the warmest man, but she was not aware of it being bad to this extent. She didn’t say anything in hopes of him adding anything else that could help her understand his exact situation.

“It’s kinda embarrassing having to go to Neji for healing just ‘cause I’m the one who pissed Dad off, you know?” he continued picking at his plate, “I don’t know.”

Mrs. Yamanaka opened her mouth then shut it remembering her method.

“He doesn’t like Neji,” he put plainly, “Thinks it’s a thing we’re doing to piss them off – he and Neji’s uncle. Hiashi wants Neji back in the Hyuga clan so he can basically breed him like a dog.”

Real life was catching up to them rapidly she realized. Of course, she thought of all of this being a possibility but still, she hoped and wished for them to lead unproblematic lives.

“Pretty sure Dad and Neji would’ve hit it off if he didn’t know,” he knitted his brow at the thought. The way he spoke was quiet, soft. It was almost like the long-lost child he never really was ever painted out to be, as if his lost years were coming back to light. He was regressing. He was hurting. He was conflicted. He lowered his fork to the plate and sighed, “I want…”

She waited for him to say what it was he wanted. She kept her eyes lowered to the plate to lessen the boy’s feeling of vulnerability. She wanted him to take all the time he needed.

“I don’t know,” he finally said.

“You do know,” she spoke, “You want to be at peace. You want others to be satisfied with your choices and that’s okay. I may not be Yoshino and Inoichi may not be Shikaku, but we’re perfectly content with what you’ve found,” she lightly gripped his wrist, “We like to think of you as family. We love you and Neji. You should invite him over some time, we would love to get to know him. Ino has been dying for us all to get together over dinner, Inoichi even suggested we make your favorite,” she grabbed his other wrist with her free hand, “We’re here for you both, Shikamaru.”

The Nara looked to the woman. He mentally kicked himself for forgetting about his true support system because of being too busy dwelling over his parents who were rarely there for him from the start. He felt ridiculous for thinking they would ever change or that they should ever be the ones to accept him just because he was the one born to them. The two were dysfunctional, unhealthy. They only wished for their son to follow in the footsteps they had traced out for him since birth. The longer he kept them over his head, the longer he’d feel guilty for no reason at all. Often times, he had convinced himself that he had failed just by going with what he wanted in the moment versus his parents’ preferences. His internal voice of reason would be muffled by their own whispers. He knew in the back of his mind that he was not in the wrong. “I abandoned my position,” Shikamaru seemed to have realized aloud before scoffing as if it were something typical of him.

“You abandoned _them_ ,” Mrs. Yamanaka corrected, “and rightfully so.”

“Hiashi offered Neji the position of clan head,” he said suddenly, not hearing the woman’s words.

“Would he take it?”

“He said that it may be the only way to ensure the side branch’s freedom.”

She sat back considering this. It was true. The Hyuga could not be trusted to be honest and upfront about any matter without specific details going unspoken. History had proven time and time again that nothing would be equal until the oppressed rise to the top to make the appropriate changes, and this was one of those instances. It was a rare opportunity that Neji could take if he were selfless and wanted to better the clan he had grown apart from. Still, she wouldn’t blame him if he chose to decline the offer.

“I don’t care what status they give him, I don’t trust the Hyuga to do anything right, not even if the chance slapped them in the face,” he continued, “It’s not like anyone would willingly follow some guy that was once part of the Side Branch who ran away after disobeying his clan. Besides, he’s already widely known to be sleeping with another guy.”

Mrs. Yamanaka took in a deep steady breath.

“Sorry,” he apologized.

“No, that’s alright, teen boys will be teen boys especially in the freedom of their own home,” she smiled.

The Nara folded his napkin into various ways to redirect his restlessness. He thought back to the lab. Something within the clan had driven Neji to a point of slipping under some strange psychosis, determined to end his own life. Shikamaru never even did so much as touch what matter it may have been over specifically, but the way Neji had reacted upon revival had insisted that not even the Hyuga had known why. Why? There was clearly something wrong, out of place enough to make him lose his grip in that way. Though, the scenario wasn’t unheard of, there were typically things that led the person to it whether it be immense pressure and strain in one’s daily life or an actual mental illness. Shikamaru ruled out the second one due to experiencing the male execute daily tasks for extended periods without any signs of struggle, so whatever had dragged him to losing sanity had to be external. Shikamaru had heard of psychosis cases while trying to get a better understanding on his own mother’s bizarre behavior. He had read cases where the person could not understand exactly why they had gone under the trance themselves, but they did know they must have been driven to the point by something. Everyone, however, is different. It takes different things to drive someone to the edge as opposed to others. Because it was a onetime thing, there really was no telling what could have been the exact reason. There were nights where the possibilities would keep the Nara up, there were nights when Shikamaru wondered how likely it was for it to reoccur. Ever since the scene in the storage closet, he had never felt completely confident in Neji’s nature or condition. He didn’t want Neji to feel as though he felt that way, so it all went unmentioned. All he knew was that something had gone awry when the male was a member of the Hyuga clan. Now parted, he had yet to show any distant behavior or anything truly concerning. He was better apart from the other Hyuga. The idea of Neji going back or even associating with the clan worried Shikamaru greatly.

“You do understand why he would take the risk, right?” She asked.

Shikamaru clenched his jaw. He didn’t like the idea. The closer he got to the clan, the worse things seemed to get. Hiashi wouldn’t make such an offer unless he was plotting. To disregard both of his daughters and promise something when he was still in a perfectly good position to lead was all wrong. Nothing about it was natural unless the man was that desperate to get Neji back. Shikamaru stood and rinsed both of their empty plates in the sink as his mind ran. He hated being irritated because it was so rare that he was. It was a feeling that was alien to him; he couldn’t begin to imagine how Sakura felt half the time in a constant state of aggravation.

“Do you understand?” She repeated.

He lowered the faucet handle and gripped the sink. He rolled his eyes shut, not wanting to see the good that could possibly come out of the deal if the Hyuga were to act reasonably for once. The hope would be too great, though not greater than the risk, “For all we know they could be waiting for him to walk through the door just so they can slap that mark on his head again.”

“Do you understand?” She waited for the boy to acknowledge Neji’s side.

“Why trust them?” He faced her.

“I don’t know Neji like you know him, but I’m sure he would appreciate your understanding, Shikamaru. He is now free to make his own decisions and if he is willing to risk it then you’re the only one he has that would ever support him. Try to look at it from where he stands, Shikamaru.” She stood firmly on what she said even thought she hated going against the boy in his moment of vulnerability.

He rubbed his face, “Okay, yeah good could come out of it, but I…”

“You’re protective over him,” she stated as she moved towards him, “Then protect him,” she said placing a hand against his face with a smile. He watched her. The simplicity of her solution eased his nerves more than he expected it to. His hyperintelligent mind wanted to think of complex ways out of everything, but he had to simply let Neji do as he wished and just promise to be there to back him up if all else fails. He shouldn’t hold him back; he shouldn’t own up to his given title ‘selfish’ as Shikaku had called him. He needed to stand by Neji. He was sure the Hyuga had his own suspicions but saw the pros over the negative possibilities. He was putting his people first like the clan head he was meant to be. He had to take the position.

“I understand,” Shikamaru said.


	25. Chapter 25

Shikamaru stood across the street from the Hyuga residence and strolled up and down the road, waiting for Neji to walk out and say that the ceremony had been completed. At the sight of said boy walking through the building’s doors he approached him. Neji had taken the new label and left without any lingering conversation for anyone inside.

“How did it go?” Shikamaru asked.

“I do not trust them,” Neji responded, “But I did not see anything worthy of suspicion inside.”

Shikamaru scoffed, “Appearances don’t mean anything.”

“They want me to move into the Main House residence,” Neji informed.

“What?” Shikamaru thought back on all the work they did in their current house, “Are you sure?”

“They would like it if you moved in as well seeing as you are now a considerable figure in the Hyuga clan,” he added looking to the shadow-nin.

“Wh…” the Nara froze, “But we aren’t even married.”

“They still acknowledge you to be a romantic interest. There are no written rules against same sex partners though it is frowned upon. I do not understand what will happen once an heir will be required, but the matter was not raised during the meeting which is another thing that concerns me. The ceremony felt heavily illegitimate. It did not last as long as I have heard. My guess is that it is only a matter of time until they get rid of me and place one of Hiashi’s daughters in my place if not himself. Only, I am unsure of what they are after. Still, as of now, you are seen as a considerable romantic figure that is required to lie by the head of the clan.”

Shikamaru didn’t think about this part of the agreement at all. He never would have thought he would even be considered in a case like this. Neither did he know what the Hyuga were after upon hearing the peculiarities of the ceremony. It sounded more like a casual gathering just to say it had been done. In addition, it was beyond odd for them to not even bring up a successor once Neji’s reign was over. Just then, Hiashi Hyuga exited the structure’s doors in search of his nephew. He approached the two, coming to a bow before Neji. “Congratulations on claiming your rightful place as head of the Hyuga clan, Lord Neji,” he said.

Shikamaru watched the discomfort shoot through Neji at the sound of such respect being put on his name at the lips of someone who saw him as a servant only months ago.

Hiashi then looked to Shikamaru, “Move in when you two see fit. I will be living towards the back end of the residence.” He then left the two alone and they stood silently wondering about what all could come from the drastic change made to their living situation.

Shikamaru rolled his shoulder, “What a drag.”.

. . .

Neji sat in the center of a rather large and empty room, lacking character much like his initial living quarters. Shikamaru lied against the floor next to him. It was their first day in the residence and Shikamaru was already fed up. He would normally have nothing against lying in a room with nothing but time to doze, but this was different. He was in the home of an organization that he had nothing but distrust for. He would often times watch the door, half expecting a coup to unfold while their guards were lowered. Neji opened an eye, disrupting his meditation.

“What is the matter?” he asked.

“Nothing,” the Nara sighed sitting his head up against his palm.

Neji closed his eye, “Go back to sleep.”

Shikamaru rolled his eyes before standing just as the door sounded.

“Come in,” Neji said.

The door slid open and there bowed an unfamiliar Hyuga, “Lord Neji. One of our men has been injured while training with Lady Hanabi. How should we handle this?”

. . .

“None of this is fair!” The young girl exclaimed standing next to a boy who whimpered in the grass, “Why are you in power all of a sudden? What does that make me and Hinata? We were heirs to rule!”

“And you will rule,” Neji assured calmly.

The heat in the girl’s face dissipated almost instantly, “Huh?”

“You will rule, Lady Hanabi. My status does not change who you are. You are still significant figures in the Hyuga clan both capable of claiming the position of clan head. When the day comes, I will hand the position to your elder sister and if she wishes, she may hand it to you,” he explained. He did not care who was in power as long as the person was well aware of the clan’s past cruelties.

“Oh, I…” Hanabi’s cheeks were tainted red at the embarrassment of her own acting out, “What about Father?”

“He still has a considerable amount of power within the Hyuga clan. He is now considered to be a Hyuga Elder. They control some parts of our operations from the shadows,” he clarified shocking the Nara next to him.

“I thought you’d be in complete control,” Shikamaru said.

Neji closed his eyes knowing the distress his words may have caused the shadow-nin, “Yes, I know however I do not. Still, I have some control over how things are executed within the clan which should be enough,” he looked to the Nara with an expression that told Shikamaru to make the best of the card they’ve been dealt. The younger male backed down.

Though Neji could sense that they did not intend for him to be clan head for long, he would use the limited amount of time he had to ease the lives of those who came from a similar background as himself. The version his clan had told the public was a heavily watered-down truth. The side branch had always been treated worse than mere protectors of the Main House. They were slaves, simple as that humiliated by the sign etched to their skin. He knew he couldn’t make changes too rapidly; he would surely get opposition from the elders that way. He had to be subtle and timely with his approach.

After helping the boy up to a limp, Hanabi looked to Shikamaru, “Is that…”

The Nara caught her eyes and looked her up and down waiting for a sly comment.

“The one I heard about from Hinata?” She asked.

“Yes,” Neji said.

“I always knew you were kinda off, Neji,” Hanabi said redirecting her embarrassment into picking at her elder cousin, “You kept to yourself a lot is about all I know about you. Makes sense now. I gotta admit, it’s kinda weird, but,” she shrugged, still a bit red in the face. She assisted the injured boy from the dirt and led him from training center of the Hyuga grounds.

“She’s grown,” Shikamaru commented watching the two walk away.

“You’ve met?” Neji questioned, ignoring the commentary.

“No, I just remember her big eyes from the chuunin exams. I just happened to catch a glimpse of her.”

His memory was truly impeccable.

The Hyuga who had escorted them to the scene then bowed and left the area himself.

“Yeah, that doesn’t feel right,” the Nara said as he stretched. They would have to get used to being held in high regard.

“Not in the slightest,” Neji shook his head.

. . .

“Allow me, Lord Neji,” one Hyuga said seemingly appearing from thin air before opening the panel door to the gardens for the new clan head and his partner to walk through. Neji tilted his head downwards politely as Shikamaru looked at the door holder sideways.

. . .

“Your clothes have been cleaned,” one alerted from the doorway of the meditation room.

The two then looked to one another. Shikamaru sat up from his position on the floor.

“Your robes were washed as well, Sir Shikamaru,” the stranger added.

“I never asked them to go through my stuff,” Shikamaru mumbled before taking after the entrance.

. . .

“Your room as been cleaned, Lord Neji,” another bowed before the two actually making the Nara jump this time around. He, just like the first Hyuga, seemed to have appeared from nowhere.

“Thank you,” Neji returned the polite gesture.

“Lord Neji, why do you bow?” The servant asked.

“Why do you serve me?” Neji returned.

“It is my duty to do so for the clan head.”

“I see,” the new Hyuga head looked away in discomfort for the upteenth time that week or so.

. . .

They shook the bed as they began to strip their shirts away rapidly. Their breaths intertwined as Shikamaru brought Neji’s face to his own. He smashed their lips together. Just as the Nara removed the elastic that tied Neji’s strands together, Neji returned the favor, running a hand through Shikamaru’s hair once it fell against the boy’s back. It had gotten longer since they fled the village and Neji was in love with every inch. Shikamaru placed two strong hands on Neji’s hips, bringing him down on his lap to keep him from having to reach out towards the male. The Hyuga rocked against the boy beneath him as the shadow-nin attacked his collarbones when the door opened. The two froze and looked to find Hinata frozen in the doorway, thankful they had not removed their pants. Her face glowed red as other footsteps sounded down the hall. They were approaching.

“Hinata, what did he say?” Hanabi.

“Sorry, I forgot Father moved rooms!” She shielded her sister’s eyes before shutting the door and taking off down the hall.

“Wait, what was it? I wanna see! I’ll just use byakugan” Hanabi’s exclamation faded with distance, “What are they doing?” She could be heard squeaking.

Neji, shocked, backed off Shikamaru’s lap as the Nara ran a hand over his head in embarrassment.

Yes, there were downs to their new arrangement, that much they’ve established.


	26. Chapter 26

“What?” Shikamaru muffled, mouth full of an apple he had just bitten. He failed to feel his features shape into exposing his disbelief. He and Neji stared at Hiashi who stood as if what he had said was not at all strange in any way.

“It is up to you when, but I suggest soon. The current status of your relationship is unfit for your position, Neji. Traditionally, the head of clan chose their partner and was wed at once. It is widely known that you two have been involved with one another for some time now. It can be seen as you being indecisive or noncommittal which shapes the clan’s idea of you as a leader. My grandfather was shamed for having a fiancé for years. It was later found out that he had been switching between a handful of women. He was shamed and doubted as a leader simply because of this. He was still a mighty leader, but his disloyalty overshadowed the lot of it. I do not wish the same for you, Neji.” Hiashi said.

Shikamaru still stared at the man as his mind ran. One’s marital status determined much more than one’s own love life amongst the Hyuga. The Nara saw the clan as the type to only marry for power, however now the elder Hyuga was telling them that decency comes above everything else.

Hiashi looked to the boy in shock, “Perhaps we can arrange something amongst the Nara clan.”

Shikamaru figures he was most likely seeking power through connections, possibly some sort of alliance.

“I understand,” Neji said.

Hiashi then turned to exit the residence through its front door leaving the two to talk it out.

Shikamaru turned to Neji, “We gotta get hitched?!” His words still muffled by the fruit.

. . .

“I’m not even eighteen. Forget that, I’m not even _seventeen_ and they want us to promise our lives to each other under – what? – some fraud of a marriage carried out by the Hyuga clan?” Shikamaru complained sitting on the ground, bending forward until his forehead was placed against the floor of the Akimichi house.

“Well, let me know if you need a caterer. I’ll be there!” Mrs. Akimichi offered. “I’m messing with you, this is ridiculous. They can’t make kids jump and do something like this. For all we know this may be a phase!”

Shikamaru raised his head enough to spot the woman in the doorway to the kitchen, “It’s not,” he grumbled before dropping his head back to the floor.

“Oh my,” Mrs. Yamanaka cupped her hands in the lap of her dress. She was unsure of how to take the news.

“Wait so you’re getting married to that… guy, right?” Choza asked.

“ _Neji_ ,” Shikamaru corrected, “and apparently,” he half chuckled hysterically.

The loud noises of the sizzling from the kitchen mixed in with the commotion in the living room.

“I don’t see the problem,” Ino butted in. She crossed her arms and legs after taking a seat on the sofa next to her mother, “You guys are crazy about each other anyways, why not just go ahead and tie the knot, I mean…”

“Ino,” her mother called.

“What I’m saying is that there’s no harm because they already love each other!” she threw her arms out in Shikamaru’s direction.

“Yes, and that is fine, but the two of them are still young and may change over the years. Making such an important decision now has unpredictable outcomes,” the woman said as kindly as she could.

“How would the heir work?” Choza questioned. Everyone froze before a chorus of “oh’s” and “yeah’s” followed.

“How will that work?” Mrs. Akimichi called from over the stove.

“Does it have to be blood related?” Inoichi asked as he walked in with a bouquet of flowers.

“I don’t know, but I’d think so which makes this business even more of a pain,” Shikamaru said as he repeatedly tapped his head against the wooden planks.

“If they’re begging you two to get married, then I suppose not,” Inoichi thought aloud as he handed the flowers to Mrs. Akimichi to which she thanked happily.

“Who cares?” Ino said, “They can’t complain later on can they? I mean they’re the ones forcing you guys to get _married_!”

“I care because, unlike the Hyuga, I’m pretty damn sure the Nara clan wants an heir related by blood,” Shikamaru forced through his teeth.

“Just get a surrogate mother,” Choji suggested.

It was a thought, however Shikamaru knew that it would create the image of disloyalty in the eye of the Hyuga clan. 

. . .

“Married?!” TenTen shouted in the open as the group walked through the fresh produce market.

Rock Lee and Might Gai grabbed on to one another and began dancing around in a juvenile manner chanting something about youthful love that Neji decided to drown out.

“Wait married, _married_? Like shared money, short argument, take the kids to school _married_? Wait. How would kids work? What about an heir to the clan head?” She rambled.

“The image of the Hyuga head is more honored when married and trying for a successor. Seeing as that is not exactly possible in our case, I am clueless as to why they are still forcing the marriage,” Neji explained, following the girl with a basket she began to fill.

TenTen shrugged, “Just for the look of it I’m sure,” she spun on her heel towards the Hyuga, “When is it? Are you sure you have to do this? What are you wearing? Can we come?”

Neji lowered his head and shut his eyes, sighing away the little bit of stress that began to pile over.

The girl just about leapt for joy and, if Neji was not mistaken, he nearly saw stars in her eyes upon assuming that his sigh was a yes.

“I do not know what this means for Shikamaru,” he continued.

“What do you mean?” Her excitement plastered to her face.

“His father is strictly against us, however Shikamaru was the next Nara leader. If he marries me, he will be of the Hyuga,” Neji spoke.

“Hm, Shikamaru Hyuga… It has a nice ring to it,” she mused, dropping the main concern. Neji did as well seeing how the girl was not listening.

“It’ll be an amazing ceremony,” Guy swore with a fist curled before him.

“We will make sure of it,” Lee followed his sensei in stance.

Neji never cleared his mind of the shadow-nin’s consequences.

He opened his eyes to see that TenTen had left his side, directed by a feminine shout, he turned around to see his entire team hopping up and down together celebrating Neji’s soon-to-be life in matrimony.

. . .

“Have you spoken to your father?” Neji asked knowing that no good would come from it.

“Are you kidding? I busted my ass to avoid even crossing his side of the village,” Shikamaru’s shoulders dropped, slipping his hands into his pockets, “this is all so sudden,” he sighed.

“I know. I apologize for this. A part of me felt as if this could be a possibility, but I was convinced that the same tradition would not be pushed due to you being male. I believed you would not have been seen as a valid partner,” Neji said.

“Well, your folks continue to surprise,” the Nara said under his breath.

After rounding the corner, Shikamaru grabbed Neji and pulled the two of them back to the other side of the building, preventing them from being spotted. They had come close; his father was just on the other side. Luckily, Shikaku’s back was turned. They listened to the man as he spoke to someone nearby.

“I guess I still don’t understand what marriage would accomplish, Hiashi,” Shikaku was speaking to Neji’s uncle.

“Marriage is important in the Hyuga clan. It symbolizes trust, commitment, loyalty and decisiveness. Simply ‘seeing someone’ is hardly acknowledged amongst the Hyuga. Once the head of the clan is sure of a partner, he is to marry them without much time in between. It is about image. One’s marriage reflects how he would treat the clan members beneath them and his leadership. The commitment to the lifelong relationship shows he is capable of managing his role as head. Hesitation to do so shows indecisiveness when it comes to rather important decisions,” Hiashi explained, “If they are to see each other for too long without committing to one another, it will be interpreted as them only being partners in one department if you understand what I mean by that.”

Shikaku stared at the man with a bored expression similar to that of his own son’s. His eyes told of how he didn’t acknowledge the Hyuga view on matrimony. “So, what does that mean for the Nara clan? Unlike Neji, Shikamaru was an actual heir to clan head and now you’re telling me he’s going to marry into the Hyuga clan. You can’t belong to two clans at once.”

“Is that so?” Hiashi questioned.

The simple question told Shikaku that Hiashi stood against him due to sensing the Nara’s incompliance to settle on the Hyuga way. The Nara head then shifted his weight to his other foot and kept his hands in his pockets further resembling his son. “The Nara clan values blood related heirs. Hiashi, at a time I thought the Hyuga held the same values. Forcing a marriage gives them no time to think about what either of them really want. It closes the window for Shikamaru to properly lead the Nara and give a legitimate heir unless he were to step out of the marriage and knock some woman up.” It was an issue seeing as how the Hyuga clan valued loyalty. “Look, I don’t give a damn anymore. I don’t care if Shikamaru gets married to a some guy he barely knows, I just want him to give the Nara clan another generation to look up to, alright?” he rotated his neck, “I’ll settle somewhere in between. I respect your clan’s tradition, you respect mine. I’ll take anything before ridding my son of his status as next leader in line. It would be a pain to start over.”

With a mild glare, Hiashi silently agreed and bowed peacefully. Shikaku nearly rolled his eyes before sticking his free hand out. Hiashi stood upright and took it. Together, they shook hands over the matter and parted ways.


	27. Chapter 27

Shikamaru gazed up at the clouds as a last resort to slow down since nothing else around him wanted to. Shikaku appeared in his field of vision.

“Don’t ever make me hunt you down again,” he scolded calmly. Shikamaru offered no response. His father then sat by him in the grass of the training field. “Look, boy,” he exhaled smoke, “Do whatever you want. Get married, call that boy the love of your life, I don’t care. Just promise me you’ll give the Nara clan a head figure.”

Shikamaru still lied unresponsively. Silence passed between the two apart from the dragon flies that glided against the light pre-autumn breeze.

“Your mother misses you,” he said.

“Mh,” Shikamaru hummed before closing his eyes.

“She loves you, Shikamaru.”

The Nara boy knew the woman loved him to the point of sickness. That much his father didn’t need to tell him.

“So, she’s getting help,” he took another drag from his cigarette.

This caught the boy off guard. His forced expression of annoyance lifted as he looked to his father. His lips parted, “She…”

“Yep, this week makes her third week cooperating with professionals.”

Shikamaru sat up, fully facing the man. Shikaku caught his eyes and lowered his cigarette butt to the ground to put it out. The younger’s eyes were that of a youthful hope and anticipation. It was the brightest Shikaku had seen them before. The elder man offered a laid-back smile. Shikaku looked to the clouds, the smile never leaving, “She sees how she drove you away and wants to fix it however she can. She wants you back, boy.”

Shikamaru collapsed back on the grass in shock, thinking of the changes that could come from it. For a while, his nerves begged him not to face the woman. He knew her wrath would be unmatched had he faced her after moving out unannounced and shacking up with a guy they know nothing of – not that they would take the chance to get to know him. He convinced himself no good would come from it anyways, so why bother?

“She said if I get better, then you get better too. Of course, when she said you, she was referring to me,” Shikaku continued, “She finally confronted my drinking and absence,” he placed his head in his palm, “I know all of it was true so I couldn’t really do anything other than listen,” he chuckled, “for once.”

Everything coming from his father’s mouth felt unreal.

“We’ll shape up,” Shikaku sighed, “or die trying,” he mumbled.

His son was unsure of what to say, so a long silence followed before he continued the discussion, “you’re trying,” he said fighting the urge to show just how excited the news had made him. He hated how quickly he anticipated said change. 

“Everything looks different when you’re sober,” Shikaku said, furrowing his brows at the clouds looking as if he were studying something strange, “You can see the bigger picture not just the parts you think need fixing in that moment.”

Shikamaru looked to him more seriously. He crossed his legs and placed his elbows against his knees as he thought. He felt as if the man had something more to say, but like him, Shikaku wasn’t sure how to put it.

“I’m dying for a drink right now,” the man admitted. He lied against the grass with a humorous smile, “man.” He closed his eyes because it made it easier to speak, “I don’t understand you fully, Shikamaru.”

Said boy’s spirit dropped knowing where it was about to go. This time, he decided he didn’t want to stick around to listen, so he stood and made to leave when his father spoke up.

“I’m sorry.”

Shikamaru froze with his back turned.

“Neji was in that shop when I gave you a right hook, wasn’t he?”

The younger let him figure that for himself without his confirmation.

“I’m sorry about that,” his tone was relaxed, not as serious as it could be. “Where I’m going with this is Ino’s mom wouldn’t give up. She kept coming and going, updating us on how you’ve been doing, what you’ve been doing, things like that. At first, I wanted her to get lost, but looking back on some of the things she told us, I couldn’t help but feel proud.”

Shikamaru’s shoulders relaxed at hearing that. He remembered Mrs. Yamanaka’s promise to be there for them. He wasn’t sure of what the woman had done to lead to this outcome, but it was highly effective. He told himself to question her later.

“You busted your ass to maintain a house and stood up against an entire clan. I gotta admit, it’s pretty impressive. I couldn’t see that because my vision would stop at Neji,” Shikaku added.

Again, Shikamaru’s guard rose at the mention of the Hyuga’s name since it was never used kindly in the mouth of his father.

“Invite him over some time. Let me get a better look at the guy, maybe share a drink.”

“He doesn’t drink,” his son informed.

“That’s fine,” the man sounded as if he were forcing enthusiasm, “just invite him over for food, games whatever. Yoshino’s curious too, just let us get together and maybe make ends meet or something,” he waved off lazily, “I’m just trusting that he’s not like those other Hyuga that I’ve heard of. I’m trusting that he’s different.”

. . .

Shikamaru lazily sauntered through the village, trying desperately to stop his mind from tossing and turning though it was hopeless. He wanted to just be happy with his parents’ efforts, but something worried him, something he couldn’t identify. The more he focused on the feeling the more he recognized it to be a lack of trust that his parents would really shift this much and this quickly. Thinking of how the visit might go made him nervous. He knew they had a line drown somewhere only it was invisible to him. He didn’t know how long they would pretend to tolerate it before they regressed to their old mindset. Maybe they were planning on trying to change for good, maybe they weren’t. He continued hopping from one idea to the next until he felt someone join his side.

“Sir Shikamaru, I have been ordered to inform you that your ceremony will commence by the end of next week,” a Hyuga shared with a respectful bow.

“Huh? Next week?” Shikamaru nearly exclaimed. His slow and steady nature couldn’t find the calm in anything and wouldn’t until the marriage was settled, “Who decided that?”

“Hyuga Elder, Hiashi Hyuga, sir.”

Shikamaru hissed, “Damn,” it was hitting him. He was thinking they would have at least a month to make arrangements. “Hey, you, what do you think?” He asked the seemingly Side Branch Hyuga

“What do you mean, sir?” He stood up straight.

“I mean what do you think about this whole thing?”

“It is my duty to serve whoever is in charge, sir. I do not have any opinions worth sharing.”

“No, I’m curious,” Shikamaru genuinely wanted to know how some of the Hyugas saw the peculiar situation. He wanted the man to humor him. “Give me your opinion.”

“The sudden arrangement is rather strange; I will be honest. I have never seen marriage like this and hardly thought it possible or even legal. Neither did I believe that Lord Neji’s case of crossing between branches would ever come true. Still you two are soon to be heads of the clan and I serve those on top.”

“So, you just think it’s strange?” Shikamaru asked.

“Yes.”

The Nara was expected something a bit worse than it only being out of the ordinary.

“Though,” the Hyuga spoke up. He lowered his voice, “there is talk amongst the Hyuga about your sudden ruling. We are to respect whoever leads us, however a large portion of the main branch does not see Lord Neji as fit to lead not only because of his abandoning the village, but because of his past status as a side branch Hyuga. They view him as mentally incompetent. His young age does not help much. There is some talk along the side branch currently as well,” he looked around subtly, “some see him as a traitor or as unstable for fleeing, some dislike him for keeping the secret behind breaking the curse mark to himself. Because of this, they believe that his leading position will be used only in his gain. However, there is a group that wishes young Neji well in his time of ruling. They believe that he will give us a better way of life and get rid of the Hyuga clan’s branding us. I do not know if anyone would go so far as to harm Lord Neji, however if I learn anything, I will deliver it to you.”

“Thank you,” Shikamaru was grateful for the man. He hoped he could depend on the man’s word because they might need it if the rest were true. With that, the Hyuga left him alone with more information to ponder over. Things were getting complicated. He briefly thought about the possibility of opposing views within the Hyuga clan prior to Neji becoming clan head, but he decided to shove it back with his other thoughts that weren’t as immediate or demanding as others. The concept resurfaced and may prove to be a real problem coming soon especially with the marriage taking place. Someone may try to prevent it whether it be to sabotage the ceremony, one of their reputations, or harming them physically. They’ve already proven that they would take those measures. He then remembered the initial Hyuga elder that had been making hushed orders from the shadows and wondered what Hiashi did to keep him in check up to now.


	28. Chapter 28

Neji entered the kitchen intending to brew tea. He opened cabinet doors until he came across a number of herbs and tea bags. Once he shut the cabinet door, he saw his grandfather staring at him from the entrance. It surprised him greatly since the man was known to be bed ridden. The elderly man stood dead still. It would have been easy to convince anyone that the man had died while standing. Neji bowed, unsure of what else to do.

“Good morning,” Neji greeted, “Would you like tea?” He held up the tea bags watching as his grandfather continued to stare at him. His eyes were the whitest of any white. His hair had turned silver and he seemed to have rapidly aged over the past three years. He was sickly these days, he had been for a while, but it was just catching up to him. In the past, he refused to inform others of his illness thinking that it was unimportant. Now, he depended on his son to bring him medication each day. Perhaps Hiashi had forgotten today, and his father decided to come and get it himself.

“Are you looking for your medication? I can bring it to you,” Neji tried. Still his grandfather didn’t even do so much as bat an eye. He was glued to where he stood. Neji then looked past him to see Shikamaru had appeared behind the old man. Not even the shadow-nin expected him to be out of bed. The Nara had been hungry and came to the kitchen in hopes of finding something to snack on only to nearly bump into the back side of the man who wanted them dead. Neji looked to Shikamaru with urgency. He wanted the Nara to back away because he was in a worse position than Neji was right in that moment.

“You…” the elder began slowly, “Hiashi…”

“Lord Hiashi is here, he is just down that hallway, do you need him?” Neji asked.

“Hiashi…” he mumbled before slowly rotating, “You,” he looked to Shikamaru, “You… shameless boy!” He exclaimed slamming a chakra filled hand against the Nara’s chest sending him back against the wall with a thud. The old man’s silver hairs fell across his tormented face. He fell to his knees, grabbing his head shouting things incoherently.

“Shikamaru,” Neji carefully avoided the deranged man and rushed to the boy’s side.

“Ah, shit, shit, shit, shit,” Shikamaru cursed at the pain in his chest, “I hate this place,” he breathed out.

“Father?” Hiashi called from afar. He rushed down the hall and fell to a knee next to his father as the old man yelled and yelled grabbing at his head, yanking his hair on and off.

“Hiashi!” He cried out. He had lost it. The erratic display shocked Shikamaru. It reminded him of his mother.

“I’m here, father. Settle down. I will get you your medication,” Hiashi assured.

“It’s his fault! Get him out of here!” He threw his arm out motioning for the boys to leave, “I’ll kill you!” He shouted at his grandson.

“Quiet, father,” Hiashi rose to find the medication the old man was so deprived of. Still, the elder glared up at both boys through white eyes curtained by silver locks. Hiashi returned quickly with a bottle of pills and a glass of water, “Take these now,” he ordered. He held his father against him, so the sickly man was upright enough to swallow properly.

“I’m sorry,” the man was rambling. None of his sentences combined to a single thought. Now he seemed distressed, sorrowful even, “I killed Hizashi, I…” he trailed off, grabbing at his son’s robes.

“No, you didn’t, father. Take your medicine.”

“She didn’t love him,” his irises rolled from one part of the ceiling to the door to the man holding him, “He’s coming, Hizashi,” he suddenly mistook Hiashi for his late son, “I saw you. You were there last night,” he muttered with wide eyes, “my sons. Dead… dead!” He shouted. He began to fight Hiashi off making his task more difficult.

“Hold him down,” Hiashi ordered. The two boys worked together to keep the old man on the floor.

“No! Unhand me! He’s coming!”

“No one is coming,” Hiashi said calmly as if he had been through this more than his fair share of times.

“He is! Your brother wants revenge! He’s there!”

Neji had never seen his grandfather act in such a way. He had only ever heard of his condition and with him living apart from the main Hyuga residence, he was never there to experience the true extent of it. It was rather alarming. He was grateful for Hiashi’s presence.

“Open,” Hiashi ordered.

The elder did as told before leaning forward to bite his hand. Hiashi dropped the glass of water, shattering it against the ground, “Father, stop this!” He shouted, “Knock him unconscious!”

Neji rolled the sickly man to his side enough for him to deliver an effective chop to the back of his neck, landing him in an unconscious state. It was now quiet.

“Damn it all,” Hiashi complained, reclaiming his hand from his father’s mouth. Blood dribbled down from the broken skin of his fingers. He then stepped over the elder to tend to the opening.

Shikamaru and Neji eyed the old man that lie against the floor with a smudge of blood at the corner of his mouth. The Nara still held a hand against his aching chest but kept his eyes on the unmoving body as if it would sneak an attack if he were to blink. He wondered if his mother would have gotten to this point had she not sought help. His condition was extreme of course, but at least his mother was still aware of who someone was when she went into her blinding rage and confusion spells.

“Are you alright?” Neji asked.

Shikamaru nodded wordlessly.

After some minutes, Hiashi returned with bandaged fingers and lifted his father from the ground. The boys followed after him as he settled the man into the sheets of his sunken-in mattress. Hiashi exhaled evenly, “I apologize for that. He is a bit behind on his medication.”

“How?” Shikamaru asked skeptically, already piecing the reasoning together himself.

Hiashi closed his eyes and faced away from his father. “It is shameful; however, I am to be the blame. Though he is old and rather fragile, he still has the authority to make orders, but I know that he is not in his right mind to make sensible ones even when he takes his medication. I told him he should refrain from doing so. He refused to take such orders from me. Knowing that any order he made would be against one of you if not both, I threatened him. I then told him that if he goes against my word, I will restrict him of his medication which would induce what he calls terrifying hallucinations. I downplayed them and never thought them to be as horrifying as he claimed them to be. I had no idea it had grown to such a scale. If I had I known, I would have never done so.” He looked to his father with pity and regret.

“You said you’d only do that if he made orders behind your back. What did he order?” Shikamaru asked.

“He refuses to tell me. I found out that he had made some sort of order when I overheard some of the clan speaking and learned just enough to know that they are conspiring against something. They would not tell me when I asked them upfront. They were of the main branch, so I could not do much to force their hand,” Hiashi explained. “Just be careful. I will do everything I can on my end.”


	29. Chapter 29

“We are just going to have to be aware of how people move around us,” Neji said as he sat in a meditative position in the center of the room.

“All I’m saying is he could try harder. If he wanted to know what they’re doing behind our backs, then he’d know by now,” Shikamaru complained as he leaned against the wall behind the Hyuga.

“It is not that simple. Those of the main house are not obligated to do anything he orders,” Neji explained.

“What was that back then when you said he’s still a powerful figure of the Hyuga clan?”

“What do you mean?”

“When Hanabi was throwing a tantrum, you said that he was some Hyuga elder now that still held power. Explain that to me, I’d like to know,” the Nara’s tone was calm, but it didn’t necessarily speak for his current state of being.

“There is a main ruler, the head of clan. However, there are Hyuga Elders within the clan that can influence the way the head of clan leads. Think of them as a council.”

Shikamaru took a slow breath, “So what’s the point of having a clan head?”

“I can overrule their decisions, however if my decision proves to have a negative outcome, then they temporarily have greater power than me, enough to set their own rules and break mine. That is only if my ruling proves to be defective.”

“So, they’re just background noise,” Shikamaru summed up.

“Each elder holds equal power, so even though Lord Hiashi held the position of Hyuga head in the past, he is not above any other elder of the clan.” Neji heard Shikamaru’s footsteps approach him. He then felt the Nara take a seat before him. Neji calmly opened his eyes to find the shadow-nin staring directly at him with nonchalance.

“I don’t like this,” Shikamaru put simply.

“Neither do I.”

“So why do it?”

“We have already talked it over, Shikamaru,” Neji said calmly.

The Nara’s stare faltered after seeing the Hyuga’s icy glare. His own black eyes drifted toward the floor. He placed a hand on Neji’s knee, “Okay,” he sighed. Neji continued to stare at him, maintaining a straight meditative posture. “Okay,” Shikamaru repeated before taking a stand to leave.

. . .

The thunder woke Shikamaru from his sleep. He knew Neji was a lighter sleeper than himself, so he assumed the male was awake right next to him.

“How long has it been storming?” Shikamaru asked groggily before turning to face the Hyuga.

“For three hours,” Neji answered.

“Oh, then you probably haven’t slept at all, huh,” the Nara figured aloud. Neji didn’t have to answer for him to know it’s true. “Here,” he reached out towards Neji, placing his hands against the Hyuga’s ears, “this should help.”

“Shikamaru.”

The Nara chuckled still under sleep’s spell as he retracted his arms. He then pulled Neji against him and held him tightly, “Sleep.”

“I cannot in the middle of a storm.”

“Try.”

“I have.”

“Wanna walk?”

“Where? It is raining.”

“Around the house.”

“No.”

A knock then came from the outside of the bedroom door. Shikamaru rose from the bed and sauntered to answer it. Shirtless and worn out, he opened the door rubbing the back of his neck with a yawn. His eyes widened, “Hiashi?”

. . .

Neji, Shikamaru and Hiashi sat around a table under a single light that left the corners of the room pitch black. Oddly enough, a man faced them from the other side of the surface. Hiashi stood and positioned himself behind the man, “Go ahead and tell him what you told me,” he said from behind the newcomer.

The man cleared his throat, clearly irritable yet frightened by Hiashi’s presence.

“I come from the Yamanaka clan to inform you of something that isn’t exactly new information to me, but I can’t hold it back any longer,” he said as he shook his head. His arms were crossed to hide his nervousness. He looked to the side, “Someone from my clan tried to harm you Lord Neji.”

Both boys’ eyes widened in unison.

Shikamaru pinched the bridge of his nose and cursed, “First the Hyuga now this?”

“When?” Neji asked.

“It was some time ago, I can’t remember,” the man admitted, “Some months ago, I know that for sure. He had erupted. It was late at night. He came to my house looking like something was weighing down on him heavier than ever. Clearly back then he was convinced that you had died, Neji. He told me of how he had to kill some Hyuga kid that night, but he didn’t tell me who or why. I told him to leave and that I wanted no part of whatever mess he had gotten himself into. Arata and I were friends, but he started to change in ways I cannot exactly explain, so I severed our social connection. Some time passed – maybe some weeks – I left the village on a mission then returned to hear about someone named Neji Hyuga and how he had disappeared or something. Naturally, I thought that it must have been the Hyuga that Arata was saying he had killed all that time back. I decided it was none of my business, so I didn’t come here immediately. Forgive me,” he bowed his head toward the table. “I busied myself with my work, I was too busy to keep in touch with current events, so I failed to realize the full story. You had fled as opposed to have perished. Arata came to me overjoyed that you had lived, Neji. He was nearly delirious with relief though he was scared.”

“Scared of what?” Neji asked.

“He had been ordered to do so he said. He repeated himself over and over and laughed the whole thing off over a drink,” the man explained, “That was before…” he looked away.

“Before what?” Neji pressed.

“Before his mysterious death.”

Neji looked to the table. Shikamaru looked to him. They both had a hunch of what had happened.

“You said it was night when he came to you after supposedly killing me?” Neji questioned.

“Yes,” the man sighed, rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands.

“Did he try to kill me the same night he came to you?”

“Yeah, he seemed disturbed. He was way different from that morning.”

“Did he say how?” Neji pressed further.

The Yamanaka furrowed his brows and looked to the darker side of the room as he tried to think. “He said something about not needing to hide the body. He framed it some sort of way…”

“Like a suicide?” Shikamaru interrupted.

The man’s eyes widened, “Yes!” He nodded before leaning forward. “He promised me over and over that there was no need to hide the body and that there were no traces of him at the scene whatsoever.”

The boys looked to each other.

“Is it possible that he may have used mind transfer in order for me to harm myself?”

“I mean, it’s possible, but he didn’t share all of the details with me. He just said he had to kill this Hyuga kid and that there was no evidence to clean up,” the man said in a daze as he ran an uneasy hand over his head.

Hiashi looked to his nephew silently asking for an explanation.

“Before Shikamaru and I left the village, there was an incident at the Nara lab. I injected myself with a chemical and over dosed without ever having the idea or desire to do so prior. Luckily, Shikamaru revived me. That is how the curse mark was lifted. The timing was just right. However, I had no memory or intention of ending my own life that night,” Neji explained.

Hiashi’s face hardened into a frown further strengthened by the years’ wear and tear.

“So, why do you tell us this now?” Neji questioned.

“He’s dead. I don’t have to fear what he’d do to me if I told. He was always in some desperate situation and took extreme measures to get himself out. That and we were childhood friends. I cared for the guy and didn’t want to betray him so I convinced myself that your case had nothing to do with me when really,” the man sat back in his seat, “I was a pretty big piece in all this.” He shook his head shamefully.

“His death,” Hiashi circled back around, “What events led up to it?”

“I’m not sure. Nothing about it seemed like a suicide. It seemed like he was attacked, and the attacker didn’t even bother to clean the place up. Almost as if they were overly confident that they would never be convicted,” the man said.

“He left all the evidence on the scene,” Shikamaru thought aloud.

The man nodded, “He didn’t clean a thing. Arata was found with blood staining his shirt. He looked like he spat it up.”

Shikamaru thought about how such a scene was discovered still no word got out about it. He wondered if Ino knew. He promised himself to speak with her first thing tomorrow.

Hiashi turned his back to the table. “The one who ordered the assassination may have been the one that you killed on that night, Shikamaru. If it is not him, then it was someone who followed him closely.”

The stranger’s eyes batted with a hint of discomfort knowing he was in the presence of a killer. He too was beginning to succumb to the eeriness of the mystery and death that circled around the Hyuga clan. He visibly shifted in his seat.

“Who else would want you dead, Neji?” Shikamaru asked.

“I cannot think of anyone who would wish death upon me. It is strange to think that even back then he would want me dead before everything that happened,” Neji’s eyes drifted to the table.

“Is there anything else we should know such as why he would be ordered to do such a thing?” Hiashi asked lowly as he drifted back to his stance behind the Yamanaka man.

“No, your guess is as good as mine. I didn’t know anything apart from his failed assassination attempt,” he stated.

Shikamaru chilled at hearing the phrasing of his words. He imagined someone watching them in the night through the window. Far enough to be unseen but near enough to touch them, masked by the night.

“It’s a shame about Arata. He was a great guy aside from trying to kill you, Neji. He used to be great with kids, energetic too. I guess a part of me misses him,” the man slightly deflated.

“Thank you for informing us. If you come across any useful information, do not hesitate to come to us,” Hiashi said. “We need to know who all could have possibly been involved,” Hiashi looked to his nephew, “And you, I wish you had told me of what happened.”

Neji lowered his head and shut his eyes defensively, “Apologies, Lord Hiashi.”

The elder man’s eyes softened in the glow of the table-top lighting. “Hiashi,” he corrected.

The younger Hyuga paused for a moment before correcting himself, “Hiashi.”

“The guy I killed on the beach had to be one of those Hyuga elders,” Shikamaru added.

“He was,” Hiashi nodded, “which means there is no telling what portion of the main house was truly involved in trying to harm you. Stay vigilant,” Hiashi warned his nephew.

Neji then stood from the table excusing himself before exiting the kitchen that had become a stuffy interrogation room.


	30. Chapter 30

Shikamaru stood on the front doorstep of the Yamanaka residence. He had just knocked and waited for the door to open. He took it upon himself to ask around for a better picture on the strange situation while Neji managed things back at the Hyuga living quarters. Neji had been stopped up by choosing which of the Hyuga’s youth would attend the academy, keeping a note of who was where and keeping an eye on those he was surrounded by. Shikamaru was hesitant to leave Neji there alone, but the male nearly forced him from the door. Shikamaru only hoped that he could trust the male’s uncle enough to not stab him in the back while Neji was bent over, reviewing paper after paper.

The door unlocked bringing the boy back to the present. From the door stepped Ino’s mother with a gentle smile. “Hello,” she said in a way that suggested that she would have never expected the male to show up for a visit. “Are you here for Ino this time?”

He thought about saying he would like to speak to all of them but decided he should do this subtly to avoid blocking off any lead he could get from one of them. Questioning them individually would keep them from becoming too suspicious if any of them did in fact know something.

“Yeah, actually,” he answered with a lazy smile.

. . .

“I don’t know,” the girl said as she stared at herself in the mirror, covering herself with a dress still attached to its hanger, “Do you think this color would look good on me?” She asked.

Unfortunately for him, he had caught the girl shortly after a shopping spree.

“Sure,” he sat hopelessly on the edge of the bed.

She turned to face the boy, “That didn’t sound very convincing,” she tilted her head. “You don’t like it, do you?”

“What does it matter if I don’t?”

“You don’t,” she summed up before tossing the dress into her closet.

“I didn’t say…”

“You didn’t have to, it was written all over your face,” she turned to rummage through another shopping bag, “Why are you here anyway?”

He shrugged, “Just wanted to get out. The Hyuga place is kinda stuffy,” he skillfully lied.

“Oh, I figured. If Neji is an accurate representation of the place’s energy, then I wouldn’t doubt it,” she giggled.

Shikamaru slowly closed his eyes, “Yeah, he’s a pretty good representation,” he lied back on the bed. “They’re all uptight. Even the guy who chased us had a stick up his ass.”

Ino laughed as she twirled in the mirror, now modeling a frilly, pink top.

“Just hate I had to kill him,” Shikamaru mumbled.

Ino stilled, expression darkening, “Oh yeah,” she said quietly. “Are you okay?” She turned to view the boy who had now sprawled himself across the bed.

“Yeah,” he turned on his side, grabbing a pillow to rest his head on, “Just crazy to think about. It’s not the first time. I killed Hidan, but that’s different.”

“Because he’s immortal?”

“No, you know what I mean,” Shikamaru rubbed the bridge of his nose. He rolled on to his back and stared to the ceiling. “I actually killed the guy.”

“If you hadn’t then he would’ve killed Neji,” she rationalized, taking a seat at the edge of her bed. She looked to the Nara worriedly. “Don’t freak out over this, it was the only way.”

“Either way he’s dead. One of the Hyuga is dead. Their clan lost a member.”

“Yeah, but he had to – you know,” she leaned her head from side to side, avoiding the end of her sentence.

“I could’ve found a better way to deal with it,” he sighed heavily before sitting up and looking to the girl. “Didn’t you guys lose someone too?” He asked, effectively feigning curiosity.

The girl deflated at that, “Arata, yeah. He was really nice actually. He was like this supportive, kind, thoughtful uncle to everyone he came across. Of course, lots of things were said about him, but I didn’t believe them,” she dismissed the topic, “Do you like this shirt?”

“What kind of weird things?” Shikamaru questioned.

“Shikamaru, you’re never the one for gossip,” the girl raised a brow.

She was right. He dropped his eyes to the blanket with a shrug. “If a guy is so nice, why would people have bad things to say about him?”

“Because they were jealous of him. He was everything they wished they could have been,” she said confidently. “Jealousy is an ugly thing. I miss him a lot. He used to give me anything I wanted. He used to watch me as a kid until one day he just stopped. I don’t know what happened, but I never really saw him around anymore once I turned ten.”

“Your parents fired him?” Shikamaru asked. He watched the girl as she thought. Suddenly, she lifted her shirt giving him no time to prepare. He turned away frantically, “Woah, hey!”

“Oh yeah, turn around,” she remembered after the fact.

“Yeah, way ahead of you,” he grunted with his back turned. He had forgotten how comfortable the girl was around him sometimes. They were nearly sister and brother, still the motion had been unexpected. “What if your dad walked in?”

“My dad never comes in without knocking. I don’t even think he knows you’re here.”

He sighed his embarrassment away and dropped his head.

“Oh yeah, my dad. He used to get along with Arata very well. Anyone who came across them thought they were brothers,” her tone was cheerful, “but then suddenly they stopped talking.”

Shikamaru opened his eyes and listened to the girl over his shoulder.

“I remember walking with Dad through town and seeing Arata. I wanted to go say hi, but Dad held my wrist and pulled me along with him and acted like Arata was a stranger…”

What had he done?

“All I know is that there are rumors about him, but I never found out what happened or what they were. I was young and didn’t want to start anything, so I never asked.”

Arata was a likeable guy from the sound of it. He was close to anyone almost at first glance. It would take something extreme for his reputation to plummet that quickly.

“Turn around,” the girl ordered.

Shikamaru cautiously faced the girl to see Ino clothed in a flowy, floral dress that was rather short yet classy.

“Okay, do you like _this_?” She stood from the bed, spread her arms and twirled. She looked elegant. It brought out every single one of her colors. The hues of the flower petals complimented her eyes and adorned her complexion. “Hello?” She smiled.

Shikamaru nodded dumbly.

The girl tilted her head. “A yes would’ve been fine, Shikamaru. I don’t think Neji would appreciate you staring like that,” she teased.

The boy looked away immediately before rising from the bed, “Alright thanks,” he said as he made for the door.

“For what?” She asked. Little did she know she helped the shadow-nin get a better understanding of their situation and what type of person was involved.

He stopped in the door. “For the snacks I’m gonna take from the kitchen.” 

. . .

For the second time that day, Shikamaru found himself standing on someone’s doorstep only this time it was the one of which he spent all of his youth. His father’s face appeared in the sliver of the door opening. The man grinned from his son to the male beside him. Neji Hyuga. Neji stood calmly and did not appear to be the least bit approachable. Still, the Hyuga bowed his head respectfully. Shikaku opened the door fully and titled his head toward the kitchen, silently gesturing for them to come inside. Shikamaru allowed Neji in first then followed. He didn’t make it far before his mother rushed to him and smothered him in a hug that – to her – was long overdue. She released him and stared up at him with bright eyes accompanied by a warm smile. She clasped her hands together and looked to Neji.

She stuck her arm out, “Hi, I’m Yoshino. Oh!” She wiped her hand on her apron, “Sorry, I’m cooking right now. I didn’t want to cover your hand in oil,” she laughed nervously though it was apparent to either Nara male that she was attempting to be more inviting. She rushed to the kitchen to lower the heat on something that sounded as if it were beginning to boil over leaving the men in the foyer to look to one another. Eyes seldom landed on those of another. Shikaku opened his mouth only to be beaten to it by Neji.

“Do you need help?” The Hyuga offered as he walked towards the kitchen. Shikaku and Shikamaru watched as he trailed off now leaving the two of them alone. Still, they stood silently. Shikaku kept his hand on the front doorknob. Shikamaru slouched with his hands in his pockets.

“He likes to be helpful,” Shikamaru stated the obvious.

Shikaku lifted his brows and nodded slowly before forcing a half smile. Shikamaru then mirrored the action. They stared at one another trying to figure out what the other was thinking at that very moment.

“Well let’s go see if you mother’s burning the place down,” Shikaku said with a loud slap to his son’s shoulder before passing him by.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes shut and prayed that both his parents could keep a level head for the rest of the night.


	31. Chapter 31

“Please,” Shikaku spoke up from the kitchen entry way before approaching the table, pulling a seat out for Neji.

“Thank you,” Neji nodded once before taking a seat. Everything about him told them that he was not used to such an event. Anyone could see that much from the way he moved and observed the room. “Thank you for having me,” he added.

Shikaku nodded, taking a seat opposite to him. “Yoshino, how’s it coming?”

“Don’t rush me,” she spat quickly, “especially since you weren’t the one to help. Neji on the other hand was quite helpful,” she tried to lighten up her choice of words by adopting a new tone. Shikamaru knew the woman must have felt overwhelmed by the task of hosting someone unfamiliar. She felt everything had to be perfect or else it was all for nothing.

Shikaku cleared his throat and placed his elbows against the table, “When did it start?” He asked.

Shikamaru looked to Neji. They both exchanged glances. “We officially started in the first house that we were in before the whole Hyuga head thing.”

Shikaku narrowed his eyes at his son as if he was unsure of what he meant.

“You know, the house where you and his uncle came in that one night and I offered dumplings and you guys didn’t really want them,” he phrased nicely.

Shikaku nodded before taking a sip from his glass of water and averting his eyes. Yoshino brought the main course dish to the table and sat it in the center.

“Here we go,” she breathed out, relieved that the task was done. “Do you need anything else? Water? Tea?” She asked nearly hanging over Neji’s shoulder.

“No, thank you,” he said. Everything he said was short and to the point. Shikamaru began to wonder if the male was nervous.

Yoshino swept her dress underneath herself before taking a seat. She then remembered her apron, “Oh, let me,” she untied it and put it on the back of her chair. She then looked to everyone and smiled widely, planting her hands together against her lap. Everything about her was tense. Shikamaru worried that Neji might take it personally. “How are you liking it at the Hyuga residence?” She asked looking for conversation to loosen the air around them.

“Is it stuffy at all?” Shikaku asked through a smile.

“Dad,” Shikamaru groaned, leaning his head back.

“Oh, be quiet,” Yoshino hissed to the man.

“I’m just joking,” he lightly lifted his hands in defense.

Shikamaru looked to Neji who did not appear to be offended at all. He was relieved, still he wondered what was going on in Neji’s mind, why he was so quiet.

“Neji,” Yoshino began, “What are you doing now that you’re head of clan?” She leaned towards him and placed her hand against the table, “Congratulations by the way.”

Embarrassed would not be enough to describe the way Shikamaru felt at seeing his mother being this overbearing in front of the Hyuga. He was sure that his mother added to the inappropriate comment his father had made was enough to make Neji want nothing more than to leave the house altogether.

“Thank you,” Neji looked to the woman. She sat back quickly, never losing her smile. “It is new,” he put simply.

“A lot of work, isn’t it?” Shikaku spoke up. Neji looked to him.

“Yes,” Neji agreed. “There are may things that I have to look over and keep in check, more than I have ever imagined.”

“Yeah, happens when you take on a role like that. You ever need advice, let me know,” Shikaku nodded.

“Or he could ask his uncle,” Shikamaru suggested with a tinge of annoyance.

“Yeah, but wasn’t he the one trying to kill you guys?” Shikaku lifted a brow with a sly smile.

“Dad,” Shikamaru said abruptly.

Yoshino nervously looked from person to person, “Okay,” she said cheerfully, “How about we eat?” She slide the side dishes of rice towards each guest. “Is that enough?” She asked Neji who nodded silently.

“You’re real quiet,” the elder Nara leaned against the tabletop, “What’s on your mind over there?”

Shikamaru wanted to grab the Hyuga and leave the house just to spend the night alone together. He was tired of playing pretent and knew more than anyone else that Neji had just finished a long day of sorting things out in his new role that came with unimaginable responsibility. He only regretted that Neji now had to go through his father’s sly commentary that Shikaku tried to pass off as humor.

“Nothing,” Neji assured. “I apologize for being distant.”

“Don’t,” Shikamaru said.

“So, what was it that you two saw in each other?” Yoshino asked kindly. She felt her husband shift next to her. She knew he was trying to avoid the romantic aspect of their relationship as much as he could, but she disregarded it. It was clear that she was at least trying harder than his father.

Neji looked to Shikamaru who stared at his own lap. The Nara then lifted a hand and began to list trait after trait. “Simple, calm, smart, not a drag to be around, funny…”

“I still do not understand was is so comical about me,” Neji admitted.

“You just are,” Shikamaru looked at him keeping five fingers raised before a smile slowly crept on his face, “trust me,” he refocused on his fingers after successfully holding back his laughter.

Neji was still confused over the matter but laid it to rest.

“That’s sweet,” Yoshino gushed. Shikaku stuffed his mouth to avoid being a part of the conversation.

“He’s not bad looking either,” Shikamaru added through a mumble, looking away as if he had said nothing. Neji looked to him differently as if what he had said had been news to him. Neji looked him down and wanted to return the compliment but couldn’t find the confidence in front of his parents. Only Shikamaru could cross those boundaries because Neji did not know where they began.

“Okay and how about you Neji? What did you see in our son?” Yoshino leaned towards the Hyuga all over again.

Neji lowered his head almost in a timid manner. It intrigued the Nara next to him. Shikamaru leaned towards him in order to hear whatever it is he had to say. He along with his mother crowded the Hyuga.

“Give him some space,” Shikaku spoke up for the first time since the topic had been touched. The two backed away but still stared attentively.

“He treated me differently from the rest. He was kind and open minded. He gave me a chance to be heard,” his face began to twist at his own words. He was not used to being open with his thoughts on another person.

“Yeah?” Shikamaru urged him to go on.

“You are rather humorous, Nara,” he looked to Shikamaru from the corner of his eye, “Intelligent. Nothing about you is excessive, you are respectful,” he thought for a moment, “and you are not bad looking either.” The last part was hardly audible but Shikamaru heard every last word.

The Nara boy bit his lip and leaned back in his seat with a victorious grin spread across his laxed face. He closed his eyes as a chuckle escaped him, “Thanks.”

Neji picked up the chopsticks provided to him.

“You two are so sweet! I hope you like it. Shikamaru told me how you don’t really like spicy things, so let me know if it’s too spicy,” Yoshino rambled.

Neji lightly grinned to said Nara after learning he had taken such considerate measures. Shikamaru smiled back.

“What’s the point in letting you know? You’ve already cooked it. There’s nothing you can do at this point,” Shikaku said with his head lowered over his plate that he picked at, “What would you do? Hose it down?” He let out a breathy chuckle through a false smile.

They all looked to him except for Neji. Yoshino lowered her eyes to her plate and tried to laugh it off. Shikamaru’s glare, however, stuck to the man.

“You’re never gonna change,” Shikamaru said lowly as if he were coming to a realization. Shikaku’s eyes rolled up to look towards the boy. The man swallowed his food.

“What?” Shikaku asked dumbly.

“Shikamaru…” Neji spoke softly.

Shikamaru stood, “Come on.”

“Shikamaru.” Neji repeated.

“Let’s go. Clearly you don’t want us here, so we’ll just leave you guys alone.” Shikamaru pulled Neji’s chair back for him though the Hyuga was still seated. It had surprised the male. He looked back towards the shadow-nin begging for him to calm down, promising him it was fine. “Get up.”

Neji’s expression changed to show his disappointment. He placed his chopsticks against the plate. “Thank you, Mrs. Nara,” he tilted his head downward before standing.


	32. Chapter 32

Neji walked alongside the Nara who paced rather quickly. He could tell Shikamaru’s thoughts had taken over. He was not exactly present at the moment.

“They did not bother me,” Neji spoke. They walked a bit longer in silence. “They want to do better I am sure,” the Hyuga added.

Shikamaru scoffed, “Well if they wanted to then they’d try.”

“They did try. They invited us both to dinner.”

“To do what? Be a smart ass about everything involving you? My mom was basically breathing down your neck.”

“It did not bother me. You told me about her tendencies, so nothing seemed too out of line.”

“My dad was out of line, Neji.” Shikamaru stopped and faced his partner, “What is with you and letting people speak to you any kind of way?” The Nara genuinely asked only to look to Neji’s concerned face. He could tell the male did not know where to begin with that question. Just looking at him reminded the shadow-nin of everything he had been through in the past. Of course, the male was submissive, it’s all that has ever been hammered into him. He felt ridiculous for asking. He let out a steady breath, “I’m sorry.”

The Hyuga’s arms were crossed as he studied the boy before him. “People tend to speak to me however they wish because it does not bother me, Nara. Simple comments from strangers do not cloud my mind that easily.”

Hearing this made the genius of a boy feel even more ridiculous about the way he reacted. He was so easily stirred about when it came to his parents. He convinced himself that he was only voicing what Neji felt but could not express at the dinner table. He failed to realize how one sided the feelings truly were. He was the only one who was truly on edge over the situation. Neji was simply unbothered by Shikaku’s commentary and Yoshino’s discomforting proximity and tensing mannerisms. They had both been what Neji was expecting anyways only he got to see them in action. He was prepared for the worst and Shikamaru had called it a night earlier than Neji cared to.

Shikamaru hissed, “Yeah, sorry about that,” he dropped his head.

Neji grew closer.

The Nara sighed before making an offer, “If you’re still hungry we can go to Ichiraku. Wait, no,” Shikamaru waved the idea away as quickly as he had presented it.

“Do you not like Ichiraku?” Neji questioned.

“Not ever since that girl showed how crazy she is about you.”

“I’m sorry?” Neji asked, dropping his head lightly to catch the Nara’s eyes.

“She was flirting with you, it was obvious. She was all over you. You didn’t see?”

“No, I did not,” Neji admitted.

“Ironic. Well I read people and that’s what I read about her. She liked you, so either pick somewhere else or go hungry for the night, just not there,” he yawned as he continued walking. “I could make you a sandwich if you want.” He turned to look at Neji who still appeared to be sorting out what signals he had missed from the girl.

. . .

Shikamaru finished the last stroke of the knife before placing the slice of bread on top of the unfinished sandwich. He brought the two plates over to the same table they used to question the Yamanaka the other night.

“Thank you,” Neji said.

“Just glad you chose to come home.”

“Did you find anything out about the case?” The Hyuga asked.

“Arata was liked by everyone until something happened. He ended up getting on everyone’s bad side one day and I don’t know how. Ino never figured out why, but she never asked. I’ll revisit them some time soon, probably tomorrow,” he said as he scratched his head. He watched Neji stare off distantly, thinking over the new information. The situation was probably the reason why he was so quiet during dinner that night.

“I will eat this another time,” he tilted his head in the direction of their shared bedroom before placing the meal in the refrigerator.

“You need rest. They’ve probably been stretching you thin on purpose.”

Neji turned to face the Nara, completely devoid of energy.

“What?”

“Do not be like your father, commenting under your breath,” Neji said.

“Don’t compare me to him, I’m not like him.”

“You are just like him, only kinder,” Neji shot back.

“Shut up,” Shikamaru stood, wishing to head to bed as well. He placed his partially eaten sandwich next to Neji’s.

“You are,” Neji repeated.

Shikamaru swept arm tightly around his waist as he guided him from the kitchen down the hall, “I’m not,” he spoke into his neck, parting with a kiss.

“Fine,” Neji said pushing away from the Nara. He opened their door and strolled to his side of the bed before he looked over his shoulder, “But you do share some similarities.” He then felt the Nara spin him around and push him down against the bed. It wasn’t long before the shadow-nin lowered himself against the Hyuga, burying his face into his neck all over again.

“We don’t,” Shikamaru continued to deny.

“Do not lie.”

Shikamaru lifted his head and looked him in the eyes with a pause. “I’m a liar now?”

Neji nodded knowing exactly what he was doing.

“I’m a liar?” Shikamaru asked again before gripping Neji’s waist tightly with either hand.

The Hyuga lowered his chin keeping his eyes on Shikamaru’s, “Yes, you are,” he said with a straight face.

He felt the shadow-nin make quick work of the single bind of his top, unwrapping the cloth and exposing his bare chest. Shikamaru kissed the skin. “I’m a liar,” he thought aloud as Neji drew up a knee. Shikamaru gripped the most sensitive part of the male through cloth making Neji gasp. The grasp had been unexpected this early on.

“You’re a liar,” Neji said again. He felt the hand move as Shikamaru palmed him through his pants. He craned his neck back which resulted in a full body roll. “You lie profusely,” Neji said senselessly.

“Yeah?” Shikamaru raised a brow unconvinced.

“Yeah,” Neji nearly moaned at the change of pace.

Shikamaru’s hands were quick as he began to strip the Hyuga of his garments one by one. Neji sat up and crawled backwards enough to allow the Nara on to the bed with him. Shikamaru chased him until their lips connected. The Nara’s fingers lightly scraped down the Hyuga’s chest then stomach barely coming in contact with the skin but enough to leave light traces that teased the male before him. Neji’s stomach tightened at the tickling sensation. The feeling became more pronounced as the fingertips trailed further downward until they rested right about where they counted most. The feeling made him twitch.

Shikamaru watched Neji’s eyes shut. He watched his hair fall over his shoulders when he lowered his head. He watched his body react to his touch and loved every bit of it. He knew he couldn’t hold the Hyuga’s lips when he was in this state, so he trailed his own to Neji’s cheek and jaw as he slowly wrapped his fingers around the male’s most sensitive region. He listened to the sharp breath that left Neji. Shikamaru neared his lips to Neji’s ear and whispered sweet nothings that often coaxed a larger reaction from him. The Nara then brought his own hand to his mouth, licking from the wrist to the tip of his middle finger. It then reclaimed its position around the male’s length and worked its way into a quicker pace. Neji drew up both knees and leaned back against his hands. He then used an arm to push Shikamaru to the side, effectively getting him to lie down. The Nara didn’t know what the sudden gesture was about, but he found Neji crawling over him. His hair caressed his skin as he neared the boy’s face. Neji reconnected their lips, repeating Shikamaru’s motions. He reached into the Nara's bottoms and began to to feel him up underneath the layers of cloth.

Shikamaru was not used to Neji forcing him to finish before him, so it was new. Normally he would be the one to initiate things expecting to finish last. Neji’s assertiveness surprised the shadow-nin and quite frankly turned him on. Shikamaru stroked Neji’s hair back before planting a hand against the male’s face. He let his hands roam Neji’s chest and back as he worked. The Nara’s hips bucked upwards every now and then until it became a rhythm that complimented the motion of Neji’s hand alone. Shikamaru then sat up, wrapped his arms around the elder’s waist and brought Neji to sit on to his lap. Neji gripped either of the boy’s shoulders and rolled his hips forward, craving friction, motion, stimulation, anything. Shikamaru pressed a hand against the small of Neji’s back while the other gripped a hip. Their lips rediscovered each other as Neji’s hips moved in a wave like motion. Shikamaru gripped both hips and placed a firm kiss in the center of his partner’s chest then collarbones then neck as the Hyuga’s head fell backwards. Shikamaru grabbed a fistful of hair as Neji moved. He wanted the male to take what he wanted. He wanted him to feel good by the end, because he deserved so much more than what Shikamaru could give him.

“Neji,” Shikamaru called out.

“Hm?” Neji panted, bringing his head forward to look at the Nara. He wrapped his arms around Shikamaru’s shoulders to draw them closer to one another. He tilted his head to the side, his hair curtaining one side of his lustful smile. Truthfully, Shikamaru had only called him because he wanted to see his partner’s face. As Neji moved his hips, Shikamaru’s grip on his waist would pull them together. Both efforts produced an amazing sensation that would force breaths and brief moans from either male. Shikamaru placed his head against Neji’s shoulder.

Shikamaru flicked a tongue against the sensitive bud on Neji’s chest. “You’re so beautiful,” he said as he gripped Neji's length firmly. He repeated himself as Neji moved, “So fucking beautiful.” Neji moaned at the praise and motion of his hand. Shikamaru knew of his effect on the male and he was abusing it. “You look so good like this.”

Another moan.

“I want you…”

Neji released against both of their stomachs with a groan. His stomach tensed. He hadn’t expected those words to be what pushed him over but hearing them rushed something through him that he couldn’t handle. He grabbed the Nara with a hand and began to quickly handle the member until he followed with a groan shortly after. Neji’s breath was quick and shallow. His eyes were closed, cheeks red. Shikamaru stared at him dumbly.

“Cute,” Shikamaru said.

“I…” Neji began only to be stopped by a peck on the lips, nose then forehead.


	33. Chapter 33

Neji sat on the floor with his legs folded beneath him. He sat before a short rise table shrouded in paperwork that neighbored a small container of ink paired with a small brush. He had been looking over mission summaries when a knock came from the door.

“Come in,” Neji spoke up from his desk.

In stepped a man from the side branch. It was clear to Neji because of the head band that covered his forehead. He narrowed his eyes and cursed himself for not pushing the reuniting of the branches further. He had spoken of the matter with the elders of the clan countless times only to be ignored in the end or given false promises.

“Grades from the academy, Lord Neji,” the man said, bowing before the table. As he placed the grade reports on the surface, Neji watched him closely.

“I apologize for the slow movement of the abolishment of the curse mark,” Neji said.

“My lord, surely it is not your highest concern,” the man figured aloud.

“It is. It is the reason I took this role on.”

The man seemed shocked by his words and slowly lifted his head.

“Look at me,” Neji ordered. The man complied and was visibly set at ease by Neji’s confident stare. “I will reunite the clan as one. We would be stronger if we worked as one.”

“I see,” the man’s eyes dropped to the floor.

“Is that not what you want?” Neji questioned.

“It is, it is just that I…” The man paused. Neji kept his eyes steadily fixed on him, studying his every move and breath. “I did not expect it to become true, not in my lifetime.”

Neji lowered his head making a silent promise not to go back on his word. He closed his eyes and mentally swore over and over that he would not let anything come between him and liberating the clan’s side branch.

“Thank you, Neji,” the man said. The casualness of the name comforted the male. It was something he had long missed and recognized from when both he and Neji were of the same Side Branch status.

Neji tilted his head downward, “I am here to serve.” He then sat upright and caught the slightest tinge of oddity in the man’s eye. It was a look of conflict before it was replaced by the typical blank stare the white eyes tended to give off. The man then spared no time turning to make his leave.

“Wait,” Neji called. The man turned to face him reluctantly. He observed the man who still avoided his eyes though given permission to make direct contact. Neji studied him further. “Do you wish for me to unite the clans?” He repeated.

“Yes, Lord,” the man nodded. His words were convincing. There was no longer any doubt in Neji’s mind that the man was speaking the truth. Still, the side branch Hyuga had an aura that was strange.

“Excuse my rudeness. You may leave,” Neji dismissed. The man left but not in a quick or panicked manner. He was calm unlike the small glint in his eye that Neji had caught just barely.

. . .

Shikamaru made the first move against the wooden, floor-bound Shogi board. “What’s up? You’re quiet and not just your usual quiet, you’re dead silent.” It didn’t help that the shogi house was oddly more packed and more lively than it typically was. Not too many people cared to stop for shogi on a weekday afternoon.

Neji placed his chin in his palm and briefly shut his eyes to meditate before making his responding move. “Perhaps we have been searching in the wrong direction,” he said.

“What do you mean?” Shikamaru asked following behind a light clack of his piece settling against the board.

“Of course, the obvious place of suspicion would be the Main House,” Neji began, pausing to make a move, “but we have completely ignored the Side Branch.”

Shikamaru pondered on it for a while. He lied sideways against the ground and propped his head up with a single hand as he thought the Hyuga’s words over. “You’re right.”

“I do not know of what reason the Side Branch would conspire against me, but we cannot afford to ignore any possible variable in this case,” Neji continued.

“Your dad,” Shikamaru caught the Hyuga’s attention by mentioning the man. His white eyes flicked from the shogi table to the Nara whose black eyes were already directed towards him. “He was Hiashi’s brother, right?”

“Correct.”

“Was there any favoritism?” Shikamaru asked.

Neji thought back on it. Hiashi had used the mark against him numerous times showing no mercy solely because of their close blood relation. He knew the man would not want to be proven as biased.

“Not that I can recall.”

“Even so, maybe some people in the Side Branch felt there was and didn’t like it,” the shadow-nin suggested.

The elder male considered it, however taking one’s life over the matter seemed a bit extreme. Neji could not picture someone of the Side Branch making such an order to Arata.

“I know murdering someone over being the favorite seems like overkill, but who knows?” Shikamaru went back to the game, “People are crazy. You remember the guy who chased us down over you just being free of the mark. After that, your clan tried to kill us just for trying to make a living apart from them. The idea isn’t too farfetched,” he finished with a shrug. He sat up, “What made you suspect them?” He knew Neji wouldn’t have raised the idea unless he saw something questionable.

“There was a man today. He was of the side branch. He came in to deliver papers, but something about him seemed… off,” Neji put simply. Shikamaru placed his chin in his palm, similar to Neji and stared to the male, urging him to go on. “I cannot put it into words. He seemed almost conflicted over something I could not guess.”

“Did he seem like he was holding something against you like a grudge?” The Nara asked.

“No. It was a more somber.”

“Did he walk in like that, or was it in reaction to something you said?”

“When I mentioned ridding the clan of the curse mark, something dimmed within him.”

“Does he not want the houses to unite?”

“I asked him that same question, but he assured me that he did,” Neji crossed his arms, “The emotion in his voice was genuine. I could tell that he did. The odd display of emotion was brief and hardly noticeable.”

“Let’s line everything up,” Shikamaru said, crossing his legs, “Arata Yamanaka’s reputation plummeted, he was shunned by Ino’s family at the very least that we know of, was suddenly ordered to get rid of you, we run off, he finds out you lived, he’s relieved only to wind up dead right after. We know that one elder openly wanted us to kick the bucket and even tried to get it to happen himself. Could it be that he ordered Arata to kill you, but once the old man figured out it was a failure, he went after you the night we ran off, then – out of anger – he killed Arata? Not only that, but the guy from the other night said the crime scene was left untouched. There were no obvious efforts to clean the place or remove the body or anything. That could have been a direct result of his confidence in his privilege as a Hyuga to not be convicted of his crime.” He placed a hand against his chin as he thought it over.

“Possibly, though we cannot draw any conclusions just yet,” Neji said, completely forgetting about the game between them.

Shikamaru leaned back against his hands and shut his eyes, “Something tells me that if we knew why Arata lost his good reputation, the case could make way more sense.” His head then leveled as his eyes wandered across the floor before his feet as he thought, “One Hyuga came to me. I think he was Side Branch. He told me that…”

“Lord Neji!” Called a Hyuga from the front doors of the Shogi house. The look on his face was grave, “A team of minors have returned from a mission, heavily injured. One of the members were of the Hyuga clan. We request your presence immediately.” He bowed and awaited Neji’s approach.

Neji looked to Shikamaru, silently saying that they would speak later before rising from his seated position and leaving the building with the man.


	34. Chapter 34

Neji found himself looking over more grade reports and mission descriptions regarding those of the Hyuga clan all over again. It had become a regularity and expectation for him due to his position. The papers were delivered to him in order for him to determine who needed his immediate attention. Neji assumed it was also intended for him to learn who needed shaping up, still he did not pay too much mind to that aspect of his reviewing. Luckily, there were no outliers from the successful bunch, so he neatly stacked the reports to the side of his desk before rising from his seated position. He made for the door and reached to slide it when there was a knock. Neji opened it to find the same man from the day before only today he was holding a tray that carried a small bowl of rice with a cup of tea. His head was lowered today as well.

Neji fought against the sigh that wanted to escape him. He did not wish for those around him to drop their heads at his presence. “Hello, is this for me?”

“Yes, Lord Neji. Shall I place it on your desk?”

“Actually I…”

“Your room?” The man turned to make his way towards the male’s room when Neji’s hand rested against his shoulder.

“I was going to say that I could take the tray,” Neji said. The gesture was kind for the man to offer but out of the ordinary. The side branch did serve those higher up, but only when told to rather than without reason. “What is this about?” Neji couldn’t help but ask.

“It is simply a sign of my gratitude to your service. I know you will do great things while you hold your position. Still, I am confused as to why it was given to you so easily,” the man admitted.

Neji was still not too clear as to why the position had been offered so suddenly either, but he did not want the other to know of his confusion as leader, so he shifted the focus, “What is your name?” Neji asked.

“Hotaka,” he kept his eyes low.

“Look to me, Hotaka.”

Once Neji had his eyes, he continued, “As long as I am clan head, you are free. Do not let the mark determine that. For now, it is only a mark, but it will not be used against you,” he promised. Those words, just like yesterday’s earned Neji a strange look from Hotaka. His eyes dulled in a sorrowful way but just barely before averting themselves down the hall. He leveled his expression before nodding.

“Thank you, Lord Neji,” he said, handing the tray to the male in the door. He then left Neji to attend to his duties alone. Neji looked to the tray then watched the man’s figure drift down the hall.

. . .

Shikamaru sat in the Hyuga training ground that was positioned at the center of the residence. He held a small notebook in one hand and a writing utensil in the other. He began to write lists and trace out diagrams of everything they already knew about the situation and jotted down what questions still needed answers.

“What’re you doing?” Asked a small voice. Hanabi stood over the Nara’s shoulder and stared directly at the page before the shadow-nin shut it immediately.

“Writing,” he responded curtly. He remembered their first interaction and had decided back then that she didn’t care much for him, so he didn’t care much for her. As to why she was speaking to him he wasn’t exactly sure.

“About what?” She questioned, rounding the boy until she stood in front of him. He looked to her with a tired expression.

“Thoughts.”

“Like a diary?”

“Sure.”

“Can I see?” She sat down in front of him.

“No,” he said narrowing his eyes. He knew that if the girl really wanted to see then she could use her visual prowess to view what lied beyond the cover. He didn’t exactly suspect her of being involved in the case, but the smaller amount of people involved, the better.

She looked as if she had taken offense to that but let it roll off her shoulders shortly after. “What do you do for fun?” She asked.

“Shogi.”

“Boring.”

He lightly frowned at that before standing to rid himself of her presence when the girl called out, “Wait, I just want to get to know you. You are a stranger living under our roof you know.”

He paused before spinning around on his heel. He placed the notebook and utensil in the same hand, dropping his free one into his pocket. “Ask away.”

“What’s your favorite color?”

“Green.”

“Green?” She asked in a baffled manner.

“Are you going to ask me things only to judge my answers because I’d rather catch a nap.”

“What’s your favorite food?”

“Fish.”

Her nose wrinkled as if she was going to comment on it but refrained from doing so after hearing his last warning, “Do you only like boys?”

“No,” he almost stuttered at the sudden change of pace.

“You like girls too? You’re some guy,” she giggled between words. He stared at her for a bit before looking to the clouds. He then turned and walked up the couple of steps, and began down the wooden walkway. Much to his dismay the girl followed. “Have you ever had a girlfriend?”

“No.”

“Have you ever liked a girl?”

“Yes.”

“Who?” She gasped.

Shikamaru pitied Neji for having to deal with this sort of attention for over ten years. He ignored the question and walked to Neji’s office. It was empty, but he placed his notes adjacent to the Hyuga’s reports before exiting the small room.

“Who?” She repeated.

“Don’t you have training to do or something?”

“Answer my question,” she demanded, crossing her arms and tilting her head. She raised a brow before blowing a strand of hair from her lashes.

“No.”

“Hinata?”

“No.”

“TenTen?”

“You don’t know the girl,” Shikamaru entered the kitchen and opened a cabinet.

“Well if you’re going to eat my food, you’ll tell me who,” she threatened.

“Where’s your cousin?” He asked suddenly, having realized Neji wasn’t in his study.

“Making preparations for the wedding.”

The wedding. He had forgotten. His eyes shot open, “Shit,” he whispered.

“What? Don’t tell me you forgot,” she joked only to be proven right by his surprised expression, “Really?!”

He pinched the bridge of his nose, lowering the bag of rice to the countertop. He sealed his eyes shut and silently cursed himself.

“Hey, it’s okay. Neji seemed like he forgot this morning too. He looked kinda shaken up by the mention of it. Don’t worry you have three days.”

“Three days?” The Nara nearly exclaimed.

“Give or take,” she frowned at the boy’s reaction.

He leaned his head back, “Troublesome.”

“I thought you loved Neji,” she sat at the kitchen table.

“This whole marriage thing is just happening kinda fast.”

“Hyuga marriages have occurred sooner, don’t worry too much,” she waved off. “Tell me who you liked. Do you still like her? Does Neji have compitition?” She almost sang her last words.

“No. None at all,” he sighed trying to calm his nerves after being reminded of the ceremony that would be taking place sooner than Shikamaru remembered.

“Who?!”

“Put it to rest, will you? I’m not telling you.”

“Hello, Shikamaru,” Hinata greeted in the kitchen entrance. He could see just by looking at her that she had returned from a mission which is where he assumed she had been for the past few days.

“Hey, how was your mission?” He relaxed since her being there would interrupt her little’s sister’s efforts.

“It went well, thank you. Where is Neji?” She questioned in her typically hushed voice.

“Preparing for the wedding,” Hanabi informed.

“Oh yes, congratulations, Shikamaru,” she lowered her head respectfully before smiling at the male whose face was anything but impressed at the topic being raised all over again. By then he had lost his appetite and placed the rice back in the cabinet.

“Thanks,” he said.

“Who did you have a crush on, Shikamaru?” Hanabi persisted.

“Gods,” he mumbled before exiting the room.


	35. Chapter 35

“It is a good thing you chose to be wed in the fall, Lord Neji,” bowed a Hyuga Elder. He was not Neji’s grandfather, rather another member of the Hyuga’s council. His approach went undetected because of Neji busying himself with answering questions of the ceremony preparations. He directed where to place tables and cushions, what dishes were to be served and what location it should all take place though barely due to much of the direction being done by the Main House’s Elder members. They more so made decisions and came to Neji for approval that they already knew would be guaranteed. Neji had never done such a thing as this and was very inexperienced, so he allowed the Main House to take over. He preferred that Shikamaru be here to decide what he may or may not want during the event, however Neji had been just about pulled here by the sleeve and the Nara had gone back to his parents to talk things over earlier that morning so Neji could not communicate where he was currently.

Neji looked to the elder that had presented himself so suddenly and bowed before him respectfully, “Thank you,” Neji said. It was typical for couples to be wed during the spring and fall seasons due to them being the luckiest times of the year. Though Neji had not chosen the date personally, he acknowledged the bit of truth in the elder’s statement. There was an unspoken tension between Neji and the elder, but neither touched on it just yet.

“I wish your bond to be that of good fortune and longevity,” the man said with an unmoving face. One would never be able to read into him due to his apparent lack of emotion and genuineness.

“I hope that I can trust that I have your full support,” Neji said in response. Neither looked to one another. They both watched the side branch as they shifted tables and dusted the surfaces of impurities. He felt the elder’s eyes on him then, swift and subtle.

“As long as you do not give us reason not to, young Lord,” the man said lowly, briefly exposing his true impression of the situation they were in.

“You know where my interests lie, Elder,” Neji addressed him respectfully.

“You know what our answers have been,” the man responded curtly. “I believe we are already being gracious by you for allowing you to call a man your spouse and partner in heading the Hyuga. Not only is he incapable of birthing children, he is of another clan. Be grateful we do not kick you aside solely because of Hiashi’s word.” He spoke quietly but clearly. His face remained calm as he watched the Side Branch shift decor. 

“Lord Neji, how do you wish for the teacups and china sets to be set on top of the tables?” One Hyuga of the side branch younger than him called out with clay cups filling both his arms. Neji watched the Hyuga for some seconds before shutting his eyes.

“You are all dismissed,” Neji said suddenly. He could not bare to watch those he considered his equals to suddenly be serving him after he had spoken against the Main House for the larger half of his life. It was hypocrisy.

“There are still adjustment to be made and planning to be done,” the Hyuga Elder informed the younger male.

“We will continue tomorrow,” Neji spoke to the side branch as they passed them ignoring the elder. He felt numbers of them sweep past the both of them and did not speak until he was left alone with the elder.

“After the ceremony, I will abolish the curse mark and unite the houses,” Neji claimed boldly, still watching the low rise, white tables that shone in the sunlight.

“It could prove to be a fault in your leadership if we change the way the Hyuga clan governs itself. It is a system that has worked for generations,” the elder responded.

“Who has the structure of the Hyuga clan worked for?” Neji asked facing the man fully. His eyes were cool, calm and collected as he looked the elder into his own. The elder’s eyes then drifted from the clay teacups, fixing themselves on those of the young clan head.

“Do not disrupt our peace,” the man demanded calmly.

“Your peace,” Neji corrected, face never faltering

The elder narrowed his eyes. He opened his mouth to continue before approaching footsteps could be heard. They were a speed above a stroll and belonged to none other than Shikamaru Nara. He saw the two from some feet away, so he slowed his pace, carefully. The elder’s eyes dropped to the dirt, not needing to turn to figure who it might have been nor did he care much. All he knew was that he and Neji were no longer alone and the matter would have to be discussed further in a different environment at another time. He simply raised his chin slightly before leaving the Nara with the young clan head.

“Hanabi told me where you were. I came as fast as I could,” he seemed a bit stressed, “Look, I’m sorry I wasn’t here.” Shikamaru looked all around them and noticed that most of the table arrangements had been made and everyone had left. He rubbed his neck before lowering his head, “I’m sorry, Neji,” he breathed out in embarrassment. He felt the Hyuga join his side.

“It is alright. I did not have to do much on my own. Many of the seating positions were planned by the elders. It will be the same for the rest of tomorrow’s décor I’m sure,” Neji tilted his head with a warm smile.

His words put the Nara’s mind at ease. He felt a bit better but still regretted leaving the male alone with his overbearing clan members. Shikamaru sighed. “Married,” he thought aloud.

Neji looked to the stacked teacups that sat on a single surface and thought it over himself. It was a large part of their lives, only neither thought it to be due to the current circumstances. In a way Neji began to feel as though he had robbed something from the Nara. “I’m sorry,” Neji said.

“Come on,” Shikamaru turned to him, “You finally quit apologizing nonstop, don’t start again.”

“I know it is being rushed, leaving you with no option.”

“Oh, I had an option to walk out as soon your uncle mentioned it. If I really hated the idea of marrying you that much, I would’ve walked right out without looking back.”

Neji looked to him attentively, making sure that no part of him was making the words up. Shikamaru noticed this and looked away shaking his head with a grin. He wrapped an arm around the Hyuga’s shoulders and pulled him in closely, bumping them against one another. They looked to the unfinished lay out and took it in together.

“I meant it,” Shikamaru said before gazing at the male to his side only to find that he had shielded his eyes. “Don’t pick up both of your old habits in one day.”

“Lord Neji,” a voice came from behind. The two turned in sync and faced the newcomer.

“You,” Shikamaru said.

“Hotaka,” Neji named.

“Yes,” the man said a bit unsure of himself. “I only came to ask you what sort of tea you wish to serve during the ceremony. We need to order the leaves necessary for the beverage.”

“What tea do you like, Hotaka?” Neji asked, surprising the male.

“Well, jade, but this is your event,” Hotaka replied.

“Put in an order for jade,” Neji ordered.

“Lord Neji, I do not understand.”

“You will be attending, will you not?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I was not invited.”

“I am inviting you,” Neji said.

Hotaka looked to the male in shock. He had been at a loss for words ever since the conversation began. “Yes,” he said as if it were a command.

“I hope to see you there,” Neji nodded to the man.

“And thanks for everything,” Shikamaru spoke from his side.

Hotaka turned to the Nara, “Yes. Tea is an important part of such an event.”

“No, for informing me of the house’s views on Neji’s leadership,” Shikamaru clarified. Neji looked to the Nara without having been notified of this. He was not ever aware of the two meeting prior to this moment. Shikamaru remembered him but he didn’t catch his name. Now that he knew it, he could address him properly. Hotaka nodded wordlessly before turning to leave. Neji watched Shikamaru as the man left the clearing.

“The clan’s views on my leadership?” Neji questioned.

Shikamaru sighed, “Before the guy from Ino’s clan came to us, Hotaka came to me and told me of everyone’s views on you being in charge.”

Neji narrowed his eyes; all of his attention was fixated on the boy who had presented information previously unknown to him.

“The Main House doesn’t like the idea of some fugitive, side branch minor leading for obvious reasons. Some of the side branch resents you for not revealing how to remove the mark, another chunk of them see you as unfit because of your running away but there’s another portion that likes what you’re doing. That’s all according to him, though,” Shikamaru explained finally, slowing down the further his words drew out. The look on his partner’s face was one he could not read. He could not tell if Neji were paying close attention to his words or if Neji was displeased by him holding out on such information. “I started to tell you at the Shogi house but you were called,” he said through a sigh.

Neji crossed his arms and looked to the dirt as his mind ran over the Nara’s explanation. He then began to walk, leaving the tables and their clay cups behind. Shikamaru watched him gain distance before following after him.

“Where are you going?” The shadow-nin questioned, maintaining a pace akin to Neji’s.

“To the Side Branch.”


	36. Chapter 36

They all stood in the courtyard of the Side Branch residence. Neji stood before them with Shikamaru by his side. Neji stood still as he looked over each member calmly, Hotaka being one of them. A cool breeze whipped past them, kicking up countless strands of long, dark hair of various owners.

“I have called you all here to inform you of the Hyuga clan’s changes,” Neji began. “Soon, there will no longer be such thing as the Side Branch. The two branches will be united as one and function similarly to our neighboring clans. If you have any concerns, please let me know so they can be resolved as soon as possible.” He and the Nara looked over the group for anyone who may have seemed a bit confused by his terms. Some seconds passed and there was not a sound. Neji began to disperse them when a hand shot up from the back. “Yes?” Neji said.

The members cleared the way for a young boy who stood, his forehead covered by bandages stained red. He had been the one who was injured the other day on the failed mission. Neji kept a steady expression as not to make the boy feel uncomfortable in his skin. The two had just been acquainted in the hospital not too long ago but were back to behaving as strangers. Neji figured it would help the boy’s sense of confidence to pretend as though the clan head had not seen him at his lowest after such a failure. The boy stepped forward, head lowered.

“Do we have your word?” He asked. His voice was small and relied heavily on the wind to be carried to Neji’s ears. The young clan head bowed his head politely and looked to the ground.

“You have my word,” he promised before looking the boy in his mirrored eyes. Just then, someone else stepped forward.

“Why were you offered the position so suddenly?” The question belonged to a female, new to adulthood. Her tone told him that it had taken her minutes to conjure up the courage to speak.

“That we are unsure of. I took it nonetheless and saw it as opportunity,” Neji hoped his response did not deter them all from trusting in him to deliver their freedom. There was silence. Not even as much as a murmur could be heard among the large group. Then, another hand was raised only this time it was from the front of the group and it belonged to a familiar face. Neji nodded to Hotaka.

“I am ever grateful for your efforts, Lord Neji. You were one of us therefore you know how it is to be used and treated as less. You know just how urgently this change is to be made. I have faith in you as a leader and clan member to do what is right now that you have been given the power to do so. We have watched you grow up along side us. We have heard of your disliking of the Main House. Nothing you express is fabricated, that is why I know that I can trust you,” Hotaka finished. He had gained the entirety of the Side Branch’s attention. It grew silent after the unexpected speech of gratitude. All Neji could do was express his thanks to having Hotaka’s trust. Suddenly, the entire group began to lower themselves to the ground one by one starting with Hotaka. They kowtowed to Neji as if he were the messiah.

Shikamaru’s eyes widened at the display. 

Neji frowned, “Stand, please,” he pled.

“Thank you, Lord Neji,” a middle-aged man said. The ground absorbed much of the volume within his voice, still the message was conveyed.

“Thank you, Lord Neji,” the young woman from before followed.

“Thank you, Lord Neji,” the young boy called.

“Thank you, Lord Neji,” another voice could be heard within the crowd. Soon voices overlapped, some repeating. They continued to kotow shamelessly as they expressed their deepest gratitude to the male. Neji’s plea for them to stand was drowned out by a variety of voices, so he halted his efforts.

“Well, shit,” Shikamaru breathed out.

“We will all support you in your time of leadership, Lord Neji,” Hotaka began to speak for them all.

“We are sorry, Lord Neji! We would have never turned you over had we known you would take on such a role in the name of our freedom!” The boy yelled from where his face hovered above the ground.

“Hibiki!” The young woman exclaimed.

Neji’s eyes shot to the boy and allowed his arms to fall to his sides. Shikamaru narrowed his eyes at the child.

“What do you mean?” Neji asked skeptically. Now, it seemed as if the boy was biting his tongue due to being yelled at by the woman, so Neji approached him slowly. His slow pace was torturing to the boy, so he lowered his head further and wasted no more time.

“You were spotted practicing the jutsu of the Main House!” The boy spoke.

Neji stopped in his tracks and waited for the boy to elaborate.

“One of us saw you practicing the twin lion fist,” he slowly sat up and leaned back against his heels, refraining form looking the clan head in the eye, “I did not wish to turn you in but they made it seem as if there would be no other way to save ourselves.”

“Explain,” Neji watched the boy carefully.

“The one who saw you informed the rest of us immediately. They decided that if you were to be found out by the Main House that we could possibly be questioned as well. They did not want to be associated with anything you had done. It was decided that it would look best if they were to tell of your actions rather than hope you would not be discovered. It would have resulted in the Main House’s distrust for us resulting in the mass usage for the mark and who knows what else,” The boy continued.

”Did you wish to be punished?!” The woman exclaimed making the boy shrink.

Neji could not grow angry at the information, not while the boy’s head bled profusely. He understood the fear of stepping out of line. The thought of being punished for another’s actions would have been enough for almost anyone to report the one who had committed a poor act. Neji shut his eyes and nodded.

“Who did you speak to about it?” Neji asked.

“The man who chased you out of town that night,” Hotaka spoke from where he sat. “I was the one who saw you practicing the sacred jutsu,” he admitted.

Now his kind gestures and strange mannerisms made sense. They were all a result of his guilt seeing as Neji was trying to help him after he had affected the male’s image so greatly. Thinking back, Neji did get a strange feeling as though he was being watched which was why he was reluctant to head home the night he went to the market with Shikamaru after their completed mission.

“I then told him of where I saw you practicing the twin lion fist. He told me that he would see for himself. I believe he did see your practices, Lord Neji. I am also able to guess that when he saw the strength you exerted with each move, he felt threatened. The jutsu you had displayed on that night was the greatest power I had ever seen. Though it was no lion, the pure chakra you could control was something great,” Hotaka added.

“That was shortly before the lab,” Neji thought aloud.

“How shortly?” Shikamaru asked.

“Two days.”

“That’s long enough to plan out a murder,” the Nara commented. “But his motive somehow seems like it’s lacking a few details like why you? Why for that reason only?”

“Because they view us as less,” Hotaka stood, “They do not see us as of much value as long as our numbers are large only for purposes of servitude. Killing off one member of the Side Branch is nothing as long as they can keep us in check, keep us weaker in any way they can but strong enough to guard them. It does not matter that Neji is the nephew of Lord Hiashi. A Side Branch Hyuga is a Side Branch Hyuga regardless of relation to the Main House.”

Neji mulled over everything before looking to his side. Shikamaru had already long been watching Neji as the male dissected every bit of it. The new clan head then turned and made his way to exit the grounds of the residence with the Nara following closely behind.

“We have been searching in the wrong area,” Neji said, keeping his gaze forward.

Shikamaru knew that it was partly due to him failing to bring Hotaka’s words back up after the Yamanaka had visited them in the night. Prior to that night at the table, Hotaka’s words had only been opinions and did not hold as much weight due to them thinking the lab was a subconscious incident. Shikamaru had pushed the Side Branch to the back of his mind for later as he sorted out current events. It was not normal for his memory to fail him, especially in such situations. He had been distracted. Without the information provided by Hotaka, Neji had no reason to believe the Side Branch had anything against him, but the man’s words were vital to the investigation. The Nara bit the inside of his mouth at his own rare idiocy and poor timing.

“Are there any other details that you have not told me about?” Neji asked.

“No. I’m sorry,” Shikamaru said.

“Do not apologize. I would have brushed the opinions of others behind me as well,” Neji assured.

“Still, I should’ve acknowledged them.”

“What good would that have done?”

“It would’ve gotten us to our conclusion sooner probably,” Shikamaru shrugged.

“Perhaps, still do not hold it against yourself,” Neji knew that Shikamaru was aware of his own excellence. The slip up ought to be tossing and turning within the shadow-nin right then. The last time his mental processes had failed him was when they landed many of his companions in the hospital after failing to retrieve Sasuke. “It is alright, Shikamaru.” Neji cupped the underside of the Nara’s hand and rubbed the boy’s wrist with a thumb as they walked. He saw the genius’ brief smile before it dropped again. “You got up earlier than normal this morning. I am sure you will rest well tonight.”

Somehow, Shikamaru doubted that.


	37. Chapter 37

And Shikamaru was right. He did not rest well. His mind turned for hours over the matter. It asked countless questions as to how Arata Yamanaka would be involved and who had ordered him to attempt homicide.

“Arata? I haven’t spoken the name in years. He was shunned by the clan some time ago. I’d rather not talk about him,” Inoichi said the following morning with a smile.

“Arata? He’s dead now, so I do not see the point in bringing him up,” Mrs. Yamanaka would say.

Shikamaru lied alone on the bed he shared with Neji as the sun drifted across the sky. His notebook lied next to him after a morning of asking around. It turned out the couple did not wish to speak of the man and never informed Ino as to why he was shut out, so the Nara lay clueless in bed trying to put guesses into something more sensible. The problem was that he only had guesses to go off of.

. . .

He wandered around the house’s halls as his mind jogged. He walked around the training ground and the house’s individual rooms that were unoccupied. He finished in front of the residence, looking in.

“Hey!”

Shikamaru’s shoulder twitched at the volume and high pitch.

“You gonna crack yet?” Hanabi placed her hands behind her back and leaned over on one foot, staring the boy in the eye. Her expression spelled mischief. The shadow-nin never looked to her and continued staring at the entrance before walking back in without sparing a response. The girl followed, having already been used to the game that they play. “Who is she?”

“Was,” the Nara corrected.

“She’s dead?”

“No, I just don’t like her anymore,” he was unsure of why he would entertain her childish antics this far.

“Oh, did she break your heart?”

“Sure.”

“Aw, what happened?”

“She did something I didn’t like, so I don’t like her anymore.”

“What did she do?”

He spun on his heel to face the girl who had been following him from the entrance to his bedroom door, “It’s in the past, I like your cousin now. Leave it alone,” he said before walking in and collapsing on the bed.

“You sleep a lot. Is that why she dumped you and you got your heart broken?”

“No, we were never together,” he rolled over hoping the girl would leave.

“She chose someone else over you!”

The Nara groaned, “No, just go do something besides ask about my love life,” he said tossing a pillow over his head.

“Did she hurt someone you care about?”

“She did something I didn’t like and that was that, okay?”

“Okay,” she hopped on the bed next to him, “but what? It’s okay, you can talk to me. We’re basically cousins now. It’s not weird.”

He inhaled before lifting the pillow from his face. He looked to the girl over his shoulder. He then sat up and faced her fully, dropping the pillow over his folded legs. “I don’t know if your old man already gave you this talk but…”

“Oh, about babies?” She crossed her arms, unimpressed, “Yeah I asked about them when I was eight. I already know all that stuff,” she looked away as a visible shiver shook her.

“Yes and no.”

The girl looked to the peculiar boy in front of her waiting for him to explain what he meant. She lifted a brow.

“People do stuff. I’m sure you know what I mean by stuff.”

“Yeah,” she rolled her eyes. “I’m not dumb.”

“Never said you were,” he put plainly, catching her eyes. “But in order to do stuff like that, both parties have to want to do it. It can’t happen if one person wants to and the other doesn’t. You know?”

Her head slowly turned towards him. Her eyes rounded, showing of her undivided attention.

Shikamaru lowered his head to her level, “If someone wants to do something that you don’t want to do, don’t let them. If they still do, tell someone is all I’m saying,” he clarified before dropping back against the bed.

“Did,” she paused, “did something like that happen to you?”

“Couple times,” he admitted, “but it’s in the past.”

“Is that what happened with the girl?”

Shikamaru hesitated before convincing himself that telling the truth didn’t matter as long as he kept her name confidential, “Yeah, something like that,” he closed his eyes and shook his head uncomfortably, turning back on to his side. He had no business talking about this with some preteen acquaintance before anyone else. Still, a part of him wanted her to know how to treat the specific situation. The longer he’s here, the more weirdos there seems to be lurking in every corner. He just knew it would be especially bad for her given her age and gender.

He heard her silence behind him. He was sure the girl had finally run out of things to say at that point. There was nothing she could add besides the traditional, ‘I’m sorry’ or ‘that’s terrible’. So, he loosened up, convinced that the conversation had ended.

“It’s okay. It happened to me too,” she admitted in a sweet tone. It was one that was meant to be reassuring, but a bit conflicted.

He froze at that. He then sat up and looked to the girl who traced her fingers against the blanket.

“Maybe not as bad as yours but it was a man that came up to me asking me if I wanted to go somewhere with him. I was sitting on the bench eating dango. It was inappropriate to talk while eating is what Father always told me,” the girl straightened her back, “the man asked me over and over again, but I shook my head because I was not an idiot. I was still chewing though, and he was impatient. He put his hand around my wrist and leaned towards me,” she crossed her arms, “by then I had swallowed my dango and he kept pushing. I was more shy then because he was a stranger, but I managed to say no over and over and I started saying it louder and we caught more attention. It scared the guy, so he backed away and left quickly. He tucked his head between his shoulders to hide his face.” She was on the verge of laughing at the memory. “He made me feel weird which is why I knew that he needed to get lost, so I chased him off!” She smiled proudly.

“Did you tell anyone?” Shikamaru asked.

“Yes, I did! I told Hiroto because he was the closest one to me at the moment. He was just down the road and I stuck to him because I didn’t want the man to come back while I was alone,” she said as a matter of factly, “he really scared me,” she mumbled to herself.

“Hiroto?”

“Yeah, a Hyuga Elder! He made me feel safe,” her joy dulled, “I miss him.”

“Miss him?”

“He died somehow. I don’t know how, I’m sorry. I wish I could tell you.”

“When?” Shikamaru’s eyes widened slightly.

“Before you guys got back. He was traveling and something happened.”

Hiroto had to be the one he had killed on the beach. It didn’t surprise the Nara that the clan had chosen not to say anything to the girl about the reason behind his passing. Still, a sour feeling welled up inside of him. The man was not to be trusted though that may not have been the case for the two heirs to clan head. He exhaled slowly. “I’m just glad you didn’t let that guy get to you,” he said.

“Yeah, I was thinking he was that guy that my classmate was talking about some time ago in the academy. She said there was a guy from her family that was tossed out because he ‘fancied children’ which is weird,” she hugged herself.

Shikamaru stopped breathing. He tossed the pillow to the side and leaned towards her. “Did she say his name?”

“I don’t remember, but she said he tried to ask her to come away with him this one time. She said no, of course. I want to say it was W- something. Or was it S…” she put a finger to her chin as she thought.

“Yamanaka?” Shikamaru guessed quickly.

“It was just weird how when I asked her about it later, she couldn’t remember even mentioning him. What?” She asked, just processing his guess, “Oh yeah the girl from my class was a Yamanaka, why?”

Shikamaru jumped from the bed and nearly ran through the door leaving the girl confused and alone in the dark room.


	38. Chapter 38

“Neji!” Shikamaru called as he shot out from the bedroom only to come close to colliding with Hiashi.

“Gods,” Hiashi breathed out having almost been knocked to the floor, “Are you looking for Neji?” He guessed off of a hunch.

“Where is he?” Shikamaru asked with urgency.

Hiashi watched him with tight lips. Because his response was delayed, the Nara’s guard rose, and he grew suspicious even of the former clan head. Shikamaru looked to each aspect of the man’s face searching for anything that would give him input on the man’s thoughts.

Hiashi narrowed his blank eyes, “He should be arranging the ceremony alone so it seems as long as you are here rather than by his side,” he replied moments later – tone coated thickly in annoyance – slipping his arms together beneath his sleeves.

Shikamaru scoffed at Hiashi’s criticism before taking off through the house. That morning he had risen before the sun to travel to the Yamanaka for questioning before coming back to the Hyuga residence and falling back to sleep. He then awoke on the bed with his notes just about empty only to wander around the house for almost an hour trying to piece together the fragments he had to work with. That was when Hanabi came along and changed the situation entirely. Knowing what seemed to be Arata’s background, he felt as though he could put a reasonable story into place until more evidence is uncovered to challenge it. Now the Nara was rushing his way toward a shrine similar to how he did the other day.

. . .

Neji sat on a cushion provided to him by workers of the side branch though he never requested it. They did the same for the Hyuga Elder that had pestered him the last time Neji was sent to make arrangements. The two sat side by side. Neji tried to avoid speaking unless necessary to avoid creating any more tension than what already wafted over the clearing. Everyone knew of the new clan head’s plans and there were varying opinions that – so far – went unvoiced.

“What tea will you be serving during the ceremony?” The elder asked needlessly as his head followed the movements of the workers.

“Jade,” Neji responded against his will. He may not have wanted to speak to the man, still he could not afford to be rude after going against the elders’ wishes upfront. There was no immediate response from the elder, and Neji hoped it would stay that way. The male could not understand why the supervisor felt he should exchange words with him knowing that the two would never get along if locked in a room for more than half an hour.

“Neji,” a familiar voice sounded making Neji rise from his seat instantly. He swiftly rushed from the elder’s side towards the Nara that had just presented himself, unintentionally revealing just how undesirable his initial social situation was.

“Nara,” Neji responded, crossing his arms.

“I found something out,” Shikamaru began before looking over Neji’s shoulder. He found the elder that had been pestering Neji watching them from afar, so he lowered his voice, “about...”

Neji’s eyes rounded in understanding before he looked to his side, catching the elder in his far peripheral, “What?” He whispered.

“He…” the shadow-nin began.

“Lord Neji, how would you wish for your photo to be taken?” A worker asked.

“We can decide on the day of the ceremony,” Neji responded briefly.

“Everything is better off preplanned,” the newcomer said.

Neji knew the clan would never be satisfied until everything was under control. “Alright. I will be there shortly.”

The newcomer then left the two alone with their few moments of peace. Neji was sure he would be called on again soon enough. He looked back to the Nara, “What were you saying?” Neji asked.

“Lord Neji,” addressed the elder from minutes ago. He now stood to the backside of the new clan head expecting Neji to turn and face him and so the younger did.

“Yes?”

“Hibiki,” the man responded before stepping to the side and nodding in the direction of the same young boy who had injured himself on the mission. Only now he was seated on the stone pebble ground holding his foot, trying to keep himself from rocking back and forth. Neji’s eyes stuck to the boy, mild concern weighing his face. “If you are going to be a respectable clan head who achieves equality for either branch, I suggest you show that you care about the Side Branch just as much as you would any other Hyuga.”

Neji did not spare another glance to the elder – one would have thought he did not hear the elder’s words – before leaving the Nara in pursuit of the boy who had dropped a table over his foot.

Shikamaru watched each distraction come and go as he stood and choked on his words. He wanted to tell Neji right then and there. He would’ve given anything just to share what he had discovered. He felt that they were so close to closing the case that it made him anxious. He watched Neji care for the boy while he shifted his weight from side to side. He began to wonder if this was how his mother felt throughout the day. The Nara shoved his hands into his pockets and bit the inside of his lip as he watched Neji hoist the boy’s arm around his own shoulders to help him to his feet. The two then walked towards the shadow-nin. Neji looked from the boy to his partner.

“I am going to get him to the hospital, I believe it is broken,” the Hyuga head explained as the boy hissed and groaned beside him, “Can it wait?” Neji asked. Shikamaru then placed himself to the other side of the injured child, wrapping a smaller free arm around his shoulders. He then began walking.

“We’ll talk once he’s deposited,” the Nara said in a stern voice.

“Where did the Hyuga Elder go?” Neji questioned as they walked.

Shikamaru’s head swiveled from side to side and over either shoulder. He did not remember the man ever leaving his side when Neji aided the child. His guard reached even greater heights. He might have been too loud though it seemed impossible given that no one was near them when he spoke. Even when he kept it to a whisper, he was sure to speak vaguely, “Let’s just get him to the hospital and find somewhere safe.”


	39. Chapter 39

Once the three entered the doors, nurses came to their aid right away. Neji and Shikamaru walked beside the boy all the way to his room to make sure he was alright on his own. Hibiki settled on the bed as the nurses assured him that he would be treated soon. He silently nodded to them before they left the two males to watch over the boy long enough for them to get a doctor. Shikamaru waited impatiently for a medic to relieve them of their duty as supervisors, so he could fill Neji in on what he had found, still he wondered why the boy seemed to get injured more often than not.

“Are you alright, Hibiki?” Neji asked with a cold face.

The boy glanced at him before looking away and placing his hands together on his lap. “Will I be punished for ruining the table?” He asked.

“Of course, not. It was an accident,” Neji promised.

“I thought I would be,” the boy chuckled in relief.

Neji felt disheartened that even now Hibiki felt as though he was not protected. “How come?” The young clan head asked.

“Your face. You seemed upset,” he commented shyly.

Neji froze.

“That, just like that,” the boy pointed out. “Scary,” Hibiki held himself with a shiver.

An air of laughter slipped from Shikamaru’s lips before he bit them to silence himself. He caught Neji’s gaze before turning his back.

“I apologize. I did not mean anything by it,” Neji shut his eyes, “I did not mean to frighten you.”

“It’s okay,” the boy mumbled regressing back into his shell that had just slightly began to shed, “Lord Neji?”

“Yes?” Neji looked to him.

Hibiki stared at his new leader silently. “Can I…” He lowered his head, “talk to you privately?”

Shikamaru looked to Neji over his shoulder. The Hyuga nodded before the Nara took to the door, removing himself from the room, leaving the two to discuss whatever it was they needed to.

Shikamaru closed the door behind him but stayed right outside of the room. He kept his hands planted in their respective pockets as he rolled his head from side to side trying to ease the pain in his neck. It was a sharp pain, one that suggested he had slept in the wrong position during his nap. He caught blond in the corner of his eye and turned his head to see Ino’s father emerge from a corner. Inoichi’s blue eyes shot open before he smiled a friendly smile with a wave as he approached the Nara from down the hall.

“Shikamaru!” Inoichi called, speeding up his pace before he stopped right before the shadow-nin. “What are you doing here?”

“This kid broke his foot carrying something he shouldn’t have. What about you?”

Inoichi seemed to have paused at that, “Oh. Well I was just coming in.”

Shikamaru raised a brow and looked to the man.

“Sometimes I volunteer,” the Yamanaka smiled.

“Mh,” the Nara hummed before turning to look at the room’s window. Most of the pane was covered by its curtain though he could still spot a sliver of Neji through them. He thought back to Inoichi’s reasoning. He had never known the man to volunteer at the medical center but it was not as if he stayed in touch with Inoichi, so he was sure there were plenty of things he didn’t know when it came to the man.

. . .

“I dropped the table because my head started pounding,” Hibiki admitted placing a single finger against his temple. He furrowed his brows as if he were trying to recall the incident. “It felt like my head would start bleeding again, and the table fell through my hands.”

“It is alright Hibiki. It is not your fault,” Neji said.

Hibiki then looked to the male who watched him from his bed side. “Lord Neji?”

“Yes?”

“Promise me you’ll stay and lead the clan.”

The sudden request was odd. “I will stay,” Neji replied.

“Promise,” the boy said in a hushed voice.

“I promise.”

Hibiki intertwined his own fingers seeming rather uneasy. “I’m sorry to hold you,” he apologized.

“Hibiki, do not worry. You are injured. I have no where I need to be at the moment,” Neji promised as he sat down next to the boy who seemed to shrink more and more with each passing minute. He watched the boy’s movements and how tightly he would keep to himself. He reminded the male of his cousin.

“Lord Neji?”

“Yes?”

“This,” he pointed to his bandaged head, “happened because I wanted to get rid of the curse mark.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, gathering his courage all while avoiding looking at the clan head who was seated just by him. “I was on a mission with my team when someone came to me, saying they knew how to break the curse seal. I trusted him but he only wanted the Byakugan in the end. By the time I had realized that, I was trapped. My teammates came to rescue me. The stranger tried to harm my friend, but I jumped in front of him and took the blow,” he pointed to his head again, “It was strong. It happened before I knew what you wished to do while you held your position.” He slowly opened his eyes. He had drawn even more to himself out of instilled fear that he would be shamed or back handed for his foolish behavior only to be met with a gentle hand to his shoulder.

Neji looked to the boy. He admired his refusal to be controlled or have his destiny determined for him by those who thought of him to be expendable. Still, he worried for the boy with such a mind set in the place he was born into. He could only imagine his life having such a personality. “That was brave of you, Hibiki.”

The boy looked to Neji. His eyes lit up with relief. Finally, a smile appeared on his young features triggering the elder male to mirror it with his own though not nearly as radiant.

There was then a knock at the door and in rushed a medic able to care for Hibiki’s particular case. Neji stood and nodded to Hibiki, “I wish you a smooth recovery,” he then smiled and was eased by the boy’s own cheerful radiance that had emerged after being shown kindness rather than the harshness of an unnecessary session of strict criticism. It helped to have someone who understood how he was brought up. The boy smiled and nodded to Neji, seeming more his age now that his spirit had found its way back to his fractured body. With that, Neji left through the room’s door to find Shikamaru leaning against the hall wall. The shadow-nin was more still, more calm than he was prior to their visit. The Nara’s eyes were closed, and he seemed to be meditating on something. Neji guessed it was the information he had been wishing to tell him since that morning. The Hyuga stepped to him and watched the shadow-nin think.

Neji quieted his voice, “What was it you wished to tell me?”

Shikamaru’s eyes slowly opened. He looked to the wall ahead of him before directing his attention to the male beside him. “What?”

“You said you found something out,” Neji found himself reminding the Nara. It felt odd doing so knowing that the boy’s memory was impeccable.

Shikamaru stared at him a bit longer. Neji searched his eyes. “About what?” The Nara questioned.

“The case,” Neji grew quieter, watching a nurse pass them by.

“What case?”

“Nara, do not joke.”

“Neji, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Are you speaking in code?”

“The situation,” Neji tried.

Shikamaru narrowed his eyes in thought before leaning towards the male, “Do you need help or something?” He asked in a whisper.

“I am not signaling for help. Do you not remember?”

“Remember…”

“Arata,” Neji finally surrendered in being vague.

Shikamaru stared at the Hyuga. “Who?”


	40. Chapter 40

It was the hour crickets began their opera in the night as lights began to go out across the village. Only a candle on either nightstand illuminated the room as Shikamaru pulled his shirt over his head. Neji watched the boy’s backside as the Nara moved about preparing for bed, for the ceremony of their new life in matrimony was tomorrow. Still, Neji sat at the edge of the bed, trying to wrap his mind around how the shadow-nin suddenly seemed so oblivious to something he had been hell bent on figuring out for days. The Hyuga knew that the matter could not necessarily be safely spoken aloud especially with his guard having risen significantly since the Hyuga Elder suspiciously disappeared from the shrine earlier that morning without a trace. There was no way of being sure that the two were in complete solitude together, not even during hours of slumber. Neji shut his eyes deciding that no good would come from him stressing over the matter the day before taking his hand in marriage. There would be nothing he could do other than to sleep and hope to wake up to an all-knowing Shikamaru Nara. Even telling himself this, the male could not begin to ease his mind.

“Hey,” Shikamaru spoke from where he collected a new shirt from the wardrobe, “What’s wrong?” He asked as he slipped the shirt over his head.

“Do you truly not remember?” Neji questioned.

Shikamaru’s shoulders dropped before he placed either hand on a hip. He studied the Hyuga with worry accumulating in the bottom of his stomach. Neji then sliced through him with a single look. The Nara looked through the deepest crevices of his own mind for an answer. He closed his own black eyes and let out a sigh. “Neji I don’t know what you’ve been upset about all day. You asked me about some guy I’ve never heard of. You sure you’re not mistaking a dream for reality? Sounds crazy, but it’s happened before,” he leaned his head to the side, lids heavy.

Neji continued to give him a cool, skeptical glare.

Shikamaru’s eyes wandered the room before retreating to the floor beneath his feet. He shifted his weight and massaged the bridge of his nose before mumbling something.

“What?” Neji asked.

“I mean how are you going to get mad over something you won’t explain fully?”

Neji’s eyes faltered before averting their stare from the boy across the room. His mind began to resume its hopeless search for a reason behind Shikamaru’s forgetfulness. He found nothing. He furrowed his brows as a new feeling began to make itself known within him. It was one akin to mild irritation. It was one of suspicion, distrust, doubt, and concern. The Hyuga looked to the door opposite to Shikamaru’s side of the room. Neji then felt a dip in the bed next to him before a hand perched itself on his shoulder. Neji turned to look to the boy, mirroring Shikamaru’s weighted gaze. Both boys had been up far longer than one should be in a day. Shikamaru had rushed from Yamanaka to Yamanaka early that morning after a long sleepless night. Neji had woken up shortly after the Nara’s departure in order to assist with anything his clan would allow him to with preparations for tomorrow though his presence felt unnecessary and rather unnoticed. They both needed sleep.

“Are you okay?” Shikamaru asked in a gentle voice, eyes hovering from one pale orb to another and back. Something terrible flickered in Neji’s gaze. It was something of dread and it had been unexpected due to the male normally being the last one to crack under any pressure. Seeing the faintest hint of it told Shikamaru all he needed to know. The shadow-nin’s expression grew grave with concern before his grip tightened on Neji’s shoulder, silently asking the Hyuga to tell him what was going on under the elder’s façade of the constant untouchable front. Against his wishes however, Neji rose from his touch and drifted to his side of the bed before putting out his candle and pulling the covers back. Shikamaru stood and eyed the male unclear of the reason behind Neji’s behavior throughout the day.

Though Neji made to lower himself into the bed, he paused looking at something that had presented itself from beneath the blanket. It appeared to be a notebook with writing in it. The writing consisted of broken sentences, main points and jotted ideas. Most importantly, he spotted the name Arata in the middle of the mess of pen scratches. With a single, quick motion, he ripped the book from the bed and flipped through page after page realizing that they were notes of the case. It held the entire situation that the Nara seemed to be incapable of recalling. It was the answer. He then grabbed Shikamaru’s hand and placed the bound pages into his palm. Neji looked to the shadow-nin waiting for the boy to read his own writing.

Shikamaru stared to a peculiar Neji for some moments before lowering his attention to the small book that had been nearly slammed into his hand. He used his opposite hand to open the cover and flip to the first page where he recognized his own illegible handwriting though he had no memory of such matters. He glossed over his own pages due to not being able to read the majority of it and slowly closed the book before looking to Neji who never averted his desperate stare. 

“Why is this in my handwriting?” Shikamaru asked slowly.

“You must have written it,” Neji answered.

“I didn’t.”

“You could have.”

“Okay,” Shikamaru breathed out before tossing the book to the side and easing his hands on either of Neji’s arms. He rubbed them reassuringly, “Let’s go to sleep and talk about this after tomorrow. It’s gonna be one hell of a long day.” He almost appeared to be dreading it.

Neji stared at him with an unreadable look. It only served to further confuse the Nara, so he dropped his touch and made for the bed, “Alright,” he gave up. He settled himself into the sheets and blew out his candle. “Get some sleep Neji.”

The Hyuga knew that such a thing wouldn’t be possible after today. He would not get a wink of sleep without thinking someone was watching them, ready to take advantage of their guard being lowered even slightly.

Shikamaru turned to face Neji’s backside. The Nara could see how rigid Neji’s confidence seemed to be for some reason he could not begin to identify. “Come here,” he said.

Neji’s head turned slightly before he took another look to the bedroom door. He eyed it as he settled down next to his partner. He felt the shadow-nin grow closer and wrap an arm around his waist. The Hyuga allowed Shikamaru to hug him from behind. Though, his eyes were fixed on the room’s entrance and did not let up. He continued to think due to it seeming he was now suddenly alone in the conflict.

“Shikamaru,” Neji quietly called.

“Hm?” Shikamaru hummed into his nape where he placed a soft kiss.

“Is the Yamanaka clan capable of erasing memories?”

There was a pause before he felt the arm around him reel away. He heard the sheets shift as the boy sat up. “Neji, what?” Shikamaru’s voice was growing thin in patience yet thick with sleep. He just wanted the clan head to fall into a well-deserved slumber and stop the unexplained paranoia.

“Can they or can they not?”

Shikamaru wiped a hand down his fatigued face, “I don’t know, maybe?” He shrugged with a sigh.

Neji then tore the blankets from himself before making towards the door when he was no longer able to move on his own accord. He looked to a mirror where he could see the Nara holding the hand sign necessary for the shadow possession jutsu, utilizing the bright shine of the moon that poured through the bedroom window. a cold and empty aura leaking from Shikamaru’s black eyes.

“Shikamaru?” Neji stood helplessly right as the bedroom door opened before two familiar men entered, one maintained a hand sign necessary for mind transfer as the other formed another triangular hand sign that caught Neji’s full attention, drowning everything else out.

. . .

Just as the wink of sunrays over the horizon woke Neji, Neji’s movement woke Shikamaru. Neji began his normal routine of stretching to relax his mind before the day commenced.

“You ready?” Shikamaru’s husky morning voice asked from behind him.

Neji stood and looked to the Nara from over his shoulder. He offered a gentle lift from either corner of his lips. “If you are.”

Shikamaru watched the male. He, himself had yet to rise from the bed. The Nara placed a hand underneath his head and smirked at the Hyuga’s back side. “I’m ready,” he assured. He then watched as the new clan head rounded the bed and lowered himself to sit against the floor. He leaned his head against the bed and looked up to the Nara who remained sprawled out on the bed’s surface, tangled in the white sheets. Shikamaru stroked his partner’s hair from his face, easing his fingers into a gentle rake through the silky strands. Neji closed his eyes and leaned into the sensation. “You feel better today?” Shikamaru questioned.

“Better? Was I unwell yesterday?” Neji opened his eyes to the odd question.

“You were talking about some guy named Arata or something?” Shikamaru’s voice was thin as he focused on carefully combing through the male’s thick curtain.

Neji stared to him blankly. “Arata?”

“Yeah, you gave me this book that,” the Nara sat up and began surveying the bed and nightstands for the notes to no avail. He lifted a brow, “I don’t know. Maybe it was a dream like I said.” He furrowed his brows and rubbed his face.

Neji gave a look of confusion.

“It doesn’t matter, I’m just glad it’s over,” the Nara brushed it off before rising from the sheets. “Let’s just focus on getting through today.”


	41. Chapter 41

It was the day of the ceremony. The two stood before the crowd that only consisted of their closest family members as uniform for the first process of the ceremony. It was their day to promise their lives to one another but the words of the priest offering his prayers to the gods didn’t register within Shikamaru though the man spoke clearly right by him. His gaze was fixed on the midsection of Neji’s white robes with miniature Hyuga clan symbols stitched in silver on the rim of the sleeves’ edges. They were elegant and draped airily against the flooring. However, even their serene appearance could not calm the stirring of Shikamaru’s mind as he thought back to the notebook. Now the two stood in front of an audience only the Nara’s thoughts were elsewhere. The few words of the notes that caught his eye tugged away at his conscious.

_Arata Yamanaka attacked lab_

_Arata Yamanaka mind transfer_

_Arata Yamanaka ordered, Hiroto who made order_

_Why would Arata agree?_

_Arata Yamanaka, shunned clan_

There were words in between the few that Shikamaru had read, but they were illegible to his quickly moving eye. The notes had sketches and diagrams that organized the information into different orders for what Shikamaru assumed to be a different perspective on the matter. The writing was troubling; however, he was so quick to dismiss it the night before. He then found that he was incapable of remembering the night after the notebook. Many things felt uneven in some areas as if there was something in the back of his mind calling out for him, but he could not figure out what it was. The Nara had assumed all was well if Neji seemed to be at peace. He looked to said Hyuga who offered a gentle smile. One that was elegant and fitting for their setting. Shikamaru returned one of his own before taking a long, silent breath to level his mind. He began to listen back in on what the priest was saying and guessed that the man had reached the point of purifying the two before he announced their marriage to the kami. Shikamaru had never gone through a marriage, so he was playing everything by ear. The ceremony had happened so suddenly, and he was not in good enough touch with his parents to ask how a wedding usually goes. The last thing he wanted to do was ask Hiashi. He ended up going off of how the typical stories and advertisements in papers looked and just tried to listen attentively so he wouldn’t make a complete fool of himself in front of his and Neji’s families. He reminded himself of the large Nara clan symbol stitched into the back of his black robes and decided that it was all the more reason to move carefully and try not to mess it up by letting his mind get the best of him. He inhaled deeply once more feeling his hair tickle his neck. Neji had told him it would look nice if Shikamaru were to wear it down, but the Nara wanted nothing more than to tie the mess of strands back enough to keep it from making constant contact against his unexpectant skin. He looked to Neji’s long, silky hair that shone smoothly. He never knew how the male could deal with it, but he always admitted that it appealed to him. There were times where he fought not to grab a hold of it when Neji had his back turned. He was usually successful at keeping his hands to himself though not always.

Before he knew it, the priest finished the purification and the vows began.

“This woman…” the priest began before giving Neji a side glance, “This man,” he corrected, “I marry.”

“This man I marry,” Shikamaru repeated.

“No matter the health situation,” the priest continued.

“No matter the health situation,” the Nara echoed.

“I will love this person.”

“I will love this person,” the Nara’s sharp eyes locked with Neji’s own softening ones. It was almost as if Neji could only hear the words once pronounced by Shikamaru and Shikamaru alone.

“Respect this person,” the priest carried on.

“Respect this person,” Shikamaru lifted his chin with a lazy smile that widened Neji’s own.

“Console this person.”

“Console this person,” Shikamaru nodded once slowly.

“Help this person.”

“Help this person,” he nodded once more as if covering a list. It amused the Hyuga before him.

“Until death.”

“Until death,” Shikamaru repeated firmly, promising Neji his life without having to say so explicitly.

“Protecting fidelity,” the priest said lowly as if he knew of the arrangement between the Nara and Hyuga clan’s heir situation.

“Protecting fidelity,” Shikamaru winked causing Neji to shake his head.

“I swear,” the priest finished.

“I swear,” Shikamaru gave a final, meaningful nod assuring Neji that he had meant all of it and that it was more than just him following along to a prewritten script.

It was then Neji’s turn to make his vows and follow along with the man who would be tying them together.

The priest spoke the first words and Neji followed along. Similar to the Hyuga, Shikamaru drowned out the priest’s voice and only centered his attention on the sound of Neji promising himself to him.

“This man I marry, no matter the health situation. I will love this person, respect this person, console this person, help this person,” his smile was soft, eyes warm with fondness, “until death, protecting fidelity,” his smile grew, “I swear.”

The priest then continued to the next step in making the two as one, “Do you, Shikamaru Nara, take this man to become your partner? Will you in peaceful times, during sickness, love this person, respect this person, comfort this person and help this person until death?”

“I do,” Shikamaru stated confidently in the exact relaxed manner Neji knew he would have. It made it harder to hide the joy that livened his demeanor.

The priest then addressed Neji, “Do you, Neji Hyuga, take this man to become your partner? Will you in peaceful times, during sickness, love this person, respect this person, comfort this person and help this person until death?”

“I do,” Neji said softly. His pure joy made it harder for the Nara to mask his own emotional state behind a cool mask.

A silver tray adorned by six nuptial cups of various sizes was then presented before the two. Shikamaru remembered overhearing a wedding story where the cups of sake were mentioned. It gave him enough to work with. Both he and Neji took a cup and neared the rims to their lips. Suddenly Shikamaru spat the liquid to the side.

“Spit it out!” He exclaimed. Neji did as told having complete trust for the shadow-nin above anyone else.

“I swallowed some of it,” Neji hurriedly admitted.

“Go spit it up right now, go. Mom, take him,” Shikamaru grabbed Neji’s wrist and led him towards Yoshino who stood with stress painted all over her features before she moved in frantic motions. She did not stop to ask questions; she only accompanied the Hyuga outside of the shrine to do as told.

The audience from both clans was horrified. Various gasps and comments could be heard from the rest of the room.

Shikaku hoped to the gods that Shikamaru had a valid reason for him to have embarrassed himself in front of the two families.

Shikamaru then kneeled next to his father who placed a hand over his eyes, massaging his brows. He was already reluctant to attend the ceremony. His son’s current display only strengthened his argument in staying home.

“Smell it,” his son said.

Shikaku looked to the boy questionably with a tinge of irritation before realizing that the commotion wouldn’t be over nothing at all. He knew enough of his son to know that the boy would never act out unless there was a concrete reason. Shikamaru even tended to prefer not to voice things even if they did in fact bother him, so Shikaku took the cup from his son’s hands with a warning glare and inhaled briefly. It was all it took for the elder Nara’s expression to shape into that of disbelief. He slammed the cup to the ground and stood, eyeing the Hyuga side with hostility.

“I thought we resolved this, but I guess not. Which one of you stuck-up slave owning bastards tried to kill my son...” He asked rather calmly, “Again?”


	42. Chapter 42

All the man got in response was a clutter of stares from blank eyes.

“Excuse me?” Hiashi spoke up. He too stood and faced the Nara clan head from across the division of the two clans.

Shikaku took two slow steps closer to the Hyuga’s section.

“Which. One. Of. You. Slave owning bastards. Tried. To. Kill. My. Son?” The man’s gruff voice made the slow repeat of his words more offensive than they would have been if spoken by anyone else. Still, Shikaku kept a calm air to him that had not yet been broken. Though he asked which of the Hyuga had poisoned the sake, he kept his eyes fixed on Hiashi who in turn did not look away from his guest.

“Are you suggesting that I would do such a thing?” Hiashi questioned.

Shikaku cocked his head to the side with a shrug as he pretended to mull it over, “Yeah,” he admitted with a light nod.

“How ironic of you to accuse me of the act,” Hiashi countered.

Shikaku narrowed his eyes, “Ironic?” He repeated.

“I offered him hospitality while you chased him through the streets looking for a fight. It was the very reason as to why he would not obey you and you accuse me of attempting to end the boy’s life?” Hiashi continued.

Shikaku stood dead still. His face had yet to show of his true rage at the man’s words. A grin slowly cracked through his stone-cold face, “You people are the worst.”

Hiashi slipped his arms into his sleeves and watched the other clan head carefully.

“You think I’d want to kill my son just because he’s bedding one of yours? I know you Hyuga would kill someone for much less than that. Don’t tell me you think you can use that as an argument,” he chuckled with a roll of his shoulders. Shikamaru watched as his father shifted his weight from foot to foot. The boy was able to recognize it as his father being moments away from showing just how angry he truly was, and he didn’t want to be there when it happened. Shikamaru began to make his way to find Neji when his arm was grabbed by a firm hand that belonged to his father. “You stay here, I’m gonna ask you a few questions,” the man spoke into the boy’s ear in a voice above a whisper, loud enough for the Hyuga to know of his intentions. Shikaku positioned his son next to him and wrapped a laxed arm around Shikamaru’s shoulders. “Boy, have you ever felt unsafe in the presence of any Hyuga of any kind?” Shikaku questioned keeping a steady glare at Hiashi who remained generally expressionless.

Shikamaru closed his eyes. Something told him that he had, but when he tried to think of why, he couldn’t find a single scenario. “No,” he answered quietly.

“You don’t have to lie for your wife, boy,” Shikaku warned.

“I haven’t,” Shikamaru said, looking to his father.

“Don’t lie,” Shikaku’s tone was more harsh that time around, “You were just mentioning how these bastards tried to kill you not long ago, now you’re saying you’ve never even felt uneasy around them?” The elder Nara leaned closer to his son and lowered his voice, “I know I shrugged it off back then. I’m sorry, okay? ‘Figured it would be enough to make you run back home, or something,” his gaze rested on the man across the aisle, “guess it wasn’t.”

“No, I…” Shikamaru’s mind begged him to say yes, to confirm the Hyuga had caused him great distress but he couldn’t remember a time where the Hyuga had brought him harm, “I haven’t,” he said in a confused manner. He grabbed his head with a single hand. Shikaku watched his son as he struggled internally.

“Gods, what the fuck did you do to him?” Shikaku breathed out.

Hiashi was offended by the man’s language in such a sacred place that was paid for entirely by him due to Shikaku’s unwillingness to support the marriage, “You dare ask what I have done to him? What have you done to him? I saw your violent intent the night we came to them in their home. I felt how you wanted nothing more than to bring physical harm to your own flesh and blood. The worst part of it all was seeing how Shikamaru appeared to have expected the beating. He locked you within your own clan’s jutsu before we were both forced from the home. I am less of a threat to your own son than you are, Shikaku Nara. The moment the boy chose his path, you did not wish for him to live it through!”

“To hell with all that!” Shikaku finally shouted silencing any other noise that had come from the Hyuga clan, “You wanna talk about bringing harm to your own flesh and blood you go look at whoever the hell you won’t even allow under the same roof as you. You go look at those traumatized kids you’re raising on a breeding ground, hell go look at your nephew! I’ve heard my fair share of stories and seen enough of you to know you have no right shaming anyone for setting their own kid in line,” Shikaku hissed.

Hiashi leveled his head after being humbled so. The two men stared at each other at a loss of what to do or say next.

“Yeah,” Shikamaru spoke grabbing everyone’s attention, “Why _did_ you take me in? Why did you give _Neji_ the position? What did you get out of this? How could a member of the Side Branch suddenly qualify to hold the clan head position?”

Hiashi closed his eyes, still his brows remained tightly knitted.

“How come we’ve never asked before?” Shikamaru thought aloud.

“You have asked,” Hiashi assured.

“Well what was the answer?” Shikamaru pushed on, his curiosity peaking.

“The matter is personal,” Hiashi responded finally. “I apologize for the danger the Hyuga clan has put you through. I had convinced myself that I had taken adequate measures to ensure your safety.”

“There we go,” Shikaku leaned his head back with a smile of satisfaction after the man admitted to his wrong doings.

“What danger?” Shikamaru asked honestly. His eyes shot from his father to the man across from them, searching for answers.

“The attacks should have never occurred,” Hiashi continued.

“What attacks?” Shikamaru questioned further. Now, all eyes were on him.

“Did you brainwash him?” Shikaku put out harshly.

“This is not my doing! Check your counterparts Nara,” Hiashi order coldly.

Shikaku’s rage filled eyes flicked from the Hyuga to the clueless boy beside him. “Shikamaru what do you remember? What happened in the last three months?”

“Neji and I left the village, came back, worked to pay this house off then moved here.”

“Why did you leave the village?” Hiashi questioned, closing in on him. Shikaku watched the distrusted man from the corner of his eye.

“We…” Shikamaru looked to the ground, “A mission?”

“No,” Shikaku gripped the boy’s shoulders and faced him, “You ran. Why do you think you guys had to work part time jobs just to get by?”

Shikamaru met his father’s eyes. They were empty of reason. The boy looked as though the thought never occurred to him.

“Damn it all,” the elder Nara cursed under his breath before ripping his hands away from the boy and making his way down the steps of the shrine, past the tables outdoors that sat untouched awaiting the reception that was to occur after the ceremony. Hiashi watched the man exit, leaving behind a number of Nara and Hyuga to stare at one another.

Just then, Yoshino entered with Neji by her side.

“What’s happening? Where’s your father?” The woman began in a panicked manner. The boy almost hated himself for sending Neji off with the woman instead of his father. He knew that his own nervous mannerisms more than likely set off Yoshino’s internal alarms all at once and Neji was by her side through it all. Then again Shikamaru knew the thought of Neji angered and discomforted his father, so he dismissed the thought.

“I don’t know,” Shikamaru admitted. It was his answer to just about anything he had been asked in the past five minutes. Only this time, he wasted no time admitting it.


	43. Chapter 43

“I’m sorry,” was all Hiashi had to say as they all stood in the shrine, knowing their life in matrimony would have to hold off.

. . .

The two stood by the entrance to the Hyuga residence, dressed in their wedding attire unsure of what had happened.

“What was in the cup?” Neji asked first.

“It was something strong that kills you after going through your system for some time. Your liver can’t process it and your body sort of panics. We use something like it to put deer down when there’s no way to save them. It’s a painless death, though.” The longer he explained it, the more alarmed the Hyuga became, “You’d probably just get really tired and pass in your sleep.” Shikamaru looked to the male beside him, realizing he’s dragged the topic on long enough. He cleared his throat, “Whoever planted it wasn’t smart,” the Nara answered, rubbing the back of his neck. “Did you get it all out?”

Neji looked away with a tinge of disgust remembering how he had repeatedly gagged himself until the contents came up, “Yes.”

“Neji,” Shikamaru spoke, gaining Neji’s attention. “Why did we leave the village all those months ago?”

The Hyuga studied the shadow-nin as though the answer was obvious before his eyes became distant, unsure of the answer himself. “A mission?”

“Just the two of us?” Shikamaru questioned.

“Why else?”

“What were we ordered to do on the mission?”

“I’m…” Neji crossed his arms, “unsure.”

“Why did we work all those jobs for a house?” Shikamaru asked, stepping closer to the male. He began to feel uneasy at not knowing of his own past actions.

Neji placed a hand against his own forehead as though the answers were just out of reach. He shook his head, “I do not know,” he breathed out.

“Why did your uncle say the Hyuga clan attacked us?”

Neji’s head turned to him quickly, “What?”

“Why did my dad mention it too like they both knew of something we didn’t?”

“They never attacked us,” Neji said.

“According to them, they did,” Shikamaru grew closer.

Neji looked down the street, “Gods,” he whispered.

“I don’t know what’s going on either,” the Nara sighed hopelessly.

“Guys!” A distant voice called. Both their heads turned to the source of the sound to find a blond girl rushing towards them from a distance with a book in hand.

. . .

She slammed the notes to the kitchen table.

“How did you get that?” Shikamaru asked.

“What is it?” Neji looked to the Nara.

“It’s the thing you handed me last night,” the shadow-nin answered.

“I have no memory of doing that.”

“And I don’t remember writing it.”

“Well, you had to, it’s your chicken scratch!” Ino placed a hand on her hip. The two males looked to the girl. “And I read through it,” she picked the item up from the wooden surface and began to read, “It says, ‘Arata Yamanaka was ordered to assassinate Neji. Hiroto is suspected to have made the order. Arata was shunned by the Yamanaka,’ then you write down a bunch of questions. Were you drunk when you wrote this? What do you mean you don’t remember?” Ino placed both fists to her hips.

“Wait someone tried to kill Neji?” The Nara asked in shock. Neji still tried to contemplate over when he handed the boy such a thing.

“Arata,” the name rolled from her tongue with fondness, “I loved him so much. I never found out why he was shunned, but I feel like I have a right to know. He was like an uncle to me,” her eyes dimmed thinking back on the man’s sudden and tragic death. She felt a bitter guilt at not reaching out to him more before his sudden death.

“Ino,” Shikamaru said quietly, eyeing the notebook having heard the name a second time. It had to hold some sort of significance.

The girl looked to him.

“Can your clan erase memories?”

. . .

“I’ve never done this before,” the girl warned a third time, holding her arms up in the appropriate hand sign.

“You told me,” Shikamaru said from where he sat before her. They decided to retreat to an empty room with less windows. The Nara sat on his knees with the girl standing nervously before him. Neji stood behind Shikamaru just in case the boy lost consciousness.

“Okay, I just want you to know that if I mess up, I am so sorry,” her voice was unsteady. She had no confidence left in her.

“Ino just try. We could all be living lies,” the Nara demanded, opening his calm eyes to meet her own conflicted ones.

“Okay,” she breathed out before locking the sign onto her childhood friend and transferring her own consciousness.

Neji watched the girl who stood stiffly. This jutsu was different; her typical one would leave her body limp. He made sure that the girl showed no signs of falling before looking back to the Nara below him. It grew silent. The Hyuga stilled himself with a mild feeling of fear. The Yamanaka had reiterated how she had never tried such a task before, still Shikamaru encouraged her to do it. The Nara did not seem to fear what could go wrong, he only wanted to make sense of their fragmented memories. Neji only worried that more of those memories would be shattered. He figured there was no use in him worrying, so he closed his own eyes and tried to steady his nerves. He disliked the idea of anything that could possibly return the Nara in a relatively broken state whether it be physical or not. Neji let out a steady breath and began to focus his chakra into different points of his body as a distraction to keep his stressing to a minimum. If it did succeed, they could learn things that could be used to their advantage. They could piece those scattered notes together and make sense of Shikaku and Hiahsi’s bickering along with the assassination attempt.

The sliding of the panel door triggered Neji to come back from his meditative state. He looked to the door right as Ino gasped and fell backwards. She looked to the newcomer and found Hiashi Hyuga standing in the door.

“What are you all doing in here?” The man questioned as though they were out of their respective areas.

Shikamaru then rose from where he sat. He eyed the elder Hyuga male. “Whose side are you on?” He ignored Hiashi’s question and spoke in a steady voice.

“I’m sorry?” Hiashi asked.

“Are you against us or with us?”

“Why would I be against you?”

“Against or with?” Shikamaru asked again. The question was demanding.

Hiashi’s eyes dimmed as he set out a silent breath before he shut the door behind him and stepped further into the room. Neither Shikamaru nor Neji spared a second getting into their fighting positions. Ino remained on the floor, trying to pull herself back to reality within her own consciousness. However much to their surprise, the man lowered himself to the floor and tapped his head against the ground before them. Neji’s eyes widened as Shikamaru’s narrowed, suspicious of the overly respectful gesture.

“I apologize for all of the trouble my clan has brought to you. There are many errors in the way we have ran the clan through the generations. I chose you, Neji, to lead us because of your physical and spiritual strength. It was absurd that the house you were born into denied you the opportunity to put the two gifts to even greater use than serving the Main House. For years I have watched you as you grew more and more into that of a lifeless individual due to the pressures of the Main House. You were left alone at age seven, yet you steadied yourself and grew into your raw strength through both talent and hard work. Though you did not wish to marry into the clan, I wished for you to have a name. I wanted you to be Neji Hyuga. I knew you could lead this clan better than I. You have experienced the life of someone in constant servitude; you know where to start to repair the clan’s unity,” he sat up and made sure that he held his nephew’s eyes, “Keeping you near meant that I could watch over you to be more confident in your safety. It is only another reason behind my decision.”

“Why did you not get rid of Shikamaru before bringing me back into the clan?” Neji questioned, folding his arms.

“Seeing you finally light up, seeing it being caused by the Nara,” he gestured out to Shikamaru, “Though it was odd at first, I was only glad that you found peace. You were always so closed off, Neji.”

Neji lowered his head as he thought, his shock turning into a bit of embarrassment. The answer held a strange simplicity that did not feel as though it could ever be true. For the longest, he had suspected Hiashi of having some ulterior motives or objectives the minute he shifted his power into Neji’s hands, completely disregarding his own daughters. Now it seemed as though, by giving Neji the status of clan head, he was offering his apologies through a gift. Perhaps it was to clear his own conscious. Neji never figured that the man was proud of what had happened to his twin brother. He knew Hizashi had to be playing a key role in everything the man had recently said, done and allowed. Only, Neji never knew just how deeply rooted that regret was until his uncle kowtowed and apologized whole heartedly. The new clan head began to feel a bit of pity for the man and, just for a second, Neji’s skepticism left his face.

“Nara,” Hiashi stood and closed in on the shadow-nin who had yet to lower his guard. The man placed a hand on the boy’s stiff shoulder, “I am grateful for what you have given and shown him.”

Shikamaru furrowed his brows and remained distrusting of the man’s word.

“Lord Hiashi,” Neji called. He had enough of his uncle’s efforts. They confused him. A part of Neji did not wish to believe in the man; it felt safer. However, the more his uncle spoke, the more convincing he seemed to be. Surely the man could not mean a word of which he spoke.

“Thank you for giving my nephew someone to trust, someone who will look over him. I was suspicious of the suddenness of what came to be between the both of you…”

The two younger males thought of the irony of his words.

“However, just watching you from day to day confirmed that none of it was fabricated for a reason unknown. It was simply a fondness that developed over time,” the man concluded with a straight face.

It was too simple.

“Lord Hiashi,” Neji began only to be at a loss of what to say next.

“Uncle or Hiashi is fine,” Hiashi corrected.

Shikamaru and Ino watched as the two looked from one to the other. Right off, the Nara was able to see how Neji truly deeply wanted to believe his uncle’s words; he wanted to be sure that the man was not against every move that he made and did not despise him because of the life he had chosen. Yet, something in his eyes seemed as if they were searching for a reason to close himself off from reaching out to the man even now. He did not want to be vulnerable and connect a bridge only for it to be burned once he felt at ease in his own position. Hiashi, however looked as though he was pleading for his nephew’s trust and reliance though he knew he would most likely never be given that much. Though he knew this, he looked as if he wanted Neji to know that he did in fact care for him. Still, years of strict discipline and self-isolation has long lasting effects that left Shikamaru wondering how he ever got through to the Hyuga.

“Did the jutsu work?” Ino asked quietly, breaking the silent spell.


	44. Chapter 44

The three waited on the doorstep of the house Shikamaru and Neji owned prior to moving into the Hyuga residence. The porch now held two, high quality wooden chairs neighbored by low maintenance plants that decorated the front of the home nicely. After waiting for some seconds, the home’s new owners opened the door pleasantly surprised by the boys’ appearance.

“Hey!” Kotetsu exclaimed. Izumo smiled from behind him.

“Can you help us get some case files?” Shikamaru cut to the chase.

. . .

The three stood in the dark at the back of the Konoha police station where a window was partially hidden by trees that stood closely by the building to the point of scraping their branches against the walls whenever the wind just so happened to pick up.

“Go, go, go!” They heard a whisper of a yell come from within. Before they knew it, leaves and breaking branches could be heard as Kotetsu fell through the building’s window, followed by Izumo who managed to land properly. Kotetsu rose with ease as though he had not fallen two stories before he handed the file to Shikamaru.

“Thanks,” the Nara said as he read over it.

“Yeah, no problem. We already forced an old man to the ground for you, what’s stealing a confidential file?” Kotetsu chuckled. Izumo elbowed the black-haired male.

Ino and Neji looked between the other three unaware of what Kotetsu had meant.

Shikamaru closed the file as his eyes wandered. He looked to the elder pair, “How did you get out of that back then?”

“The old guy? Simple, he fell so hard that he was unconscious for some time. We stuck around to make sure he wasn’t dead of course. By the time he woke up, everything was fuzzy, so we just acted as if we were the ones who found him,” the pride on the ravenette’s face faltered as he rubbed his neck, “So I guess he must’ve thought you were the ones who tossed him from the roof. Sorry,” he deflated.

“Glad; they would’ve killed you if they knew the truth,” the Nara dismissed before reopening the file, “Arata Yamanaka found in the living room of his house deceased,” Shikamaru began to read. He looked through the photographs as everyone else crowded around him to see. Both Ino and Izumo quickly turned away with some of the color drained from their faces. The photos were brutal. It had to have been a murder committed by either a sick individual or someone who held strong hatred for him.

“Huh, that’s not enough details,” Kotetsu commented, placing a hand to his chin. “We got this one from the section of closed cases.”

“Of course, you did. It’s the Hyuga clan. They can do that,” Shikamaru said before shutting the file and stuffing it into his vest. “We should go to the crime scene.”

“By now, the evidence should be long gone,” Izumo said.

“I know, but it wouldn’t hurt.”

. . .

They walked into the depths of a division of Konoha no one would enter in their time of leisure. It was a more neglected, rundown area that required heightened senses at all times. Ino held herself as she walked. She looked to an old man who had been staring at her for some time before she gravitated toward the Nara. They rounded the corner, unsure of what they would see next having gone through roads of buildings that caved in, homeless individuals that begged and deceased animals left unburied.

“Here,” Shikamaru said, ripping the file from his vest. He opened it and flipped through the photos until the house of the scene appeared.

“It’s a perfect match,” Kotetsu said over his shoulder. Izumo pulled the man back in order to give the Nara space. “You think anyone’s moved in since then?” Kotetsu asked before spotting a for sale sign on the front door, “Never mind.”

Ino plucked a pin from her hair and handed it to the shadow-nin who successfully picked it, giving them access to what was inside. The area had been cleaned out. No furniture remained other than the built-in counter tops which had countless food stains and scratches from over the years. They stepped into the living room where they heard a sharp breath. They all looked to their side, both Ino and Izumo jumped to grab the nearest person: each other.

The noise had come from the Yamanaka man who had presented himself to the Hyuga residence that one rainy night to inform them of the details of the incident.

“Why are you here?” Shikamaru asked skeptically.

“This was my friend’s house, what are you doing here?”

“Looking.”

“To buy?” The Yamanaka male asked doubtfully.

“To tie loose ends to this case,” Shikamaru corrected.

“Good luck, this place is spotless just about. Only spots you’re gonna find are from things Arata neglected when he was still here,” he crossed his arms before his eyes drifted over Ino. He stared, “Ino?”

“Yeah, what?” She asked, letting go of Izumo who then went and clung to Kotetsu having never met the stranger. It didn’t help that they were in the roughest and most unpredictable part of town.

“You’ve grown,” the stranger commented.

Ino side eyed him.

“Not like that,” the man closed his eyes and waved her off. “Look, I’m sorry about what this guy did to you, it wasn’t right, but he was my best friend,” he sighed, “At the same time, if he were still here, I’d pound him into the gravel myself.”

They all paused.

“Yeah you should be,” Shikamaru said knowing that he had not a clue of what the man was talking about. The Nara placed a hand over Ino’s mouth while the man’s back was turned. She appeared clueless as well. “She told us all about it. If you’re so sorry then why did you let him do it?” The man’s apology insisted that he knew of whatever Arata’s offenses were. Tackling it this way would give the man that there was nothing more to hide, so he might as well discuss everything openly.

“I tried, but he wouldn’t listen. We both tried, but he wouldn’t stop. We tried to save him, but we had no choice but to shun him from the clan,” he lowered his head shamefully. “We should have tried harder to save the kids, but Arata…” he sighed heavily a second time, “I guess the reason why we took so long to turn him in was because he wasn’t hurting these kids exaclty, he was just using them for research. He was a desperate man.”

Shikamaru eased his hand away from the girl, trusting that she now understood his angle, “Yeah. He was from the sound of it. You shunned him for everything, but it never surfaced. Why is that?”

“Inoichi Yamanaka,” the main answered plainly.

Surprise to various extents spread throughout the group. “My father would never keep quiet about what happened to me,” she began to follow along to Shikamaru’s strategy. They both assumed that Ino’s own memories had to have been erased somewhere along the line.

“He would if it meant he wouldn’t be touched,” the man continued to speak with his back turned.

“What are you saying?” The girl stepped forward.

“He knew about Arata. We both did. Arara took you the way he took other kids. He’d return them hanging on by a thread after extracting most of their chakra. None of the kids would remember what happened because he would hurry to erase their trauma in order to ease their minds, but also to save Arata trouble. I wished your father would have left you oblivious to it all after you were taken, but he told me that he wanted you to be aware of the dangers of Arata. In Inoichi’s defense, the kidnappings of the other kids slipped underneath his nose for some time. Before you were taken, he began to notice signs of it and even discovered what Arata had been doing. Inoichi warned him to stop but his warnings didn’t carry that much weight. We were all close to one another and the idea of Arata being jailed over what he was trying to do didn’t sit right,” the man balled a fist, “we told him over and over to stop his practices then turned our backs hoping that our words reached him. Though, both I and Inoichi had a sneaking suspicion that he continued doing what we had told him to stop, but because we led our own lives, we glided over the matter for some time. That is until you were taken, Ino. That was when Inoichi shunned Arata. He no longer wanted to be associated with him because association meant being responsible for his actions. We loved Arata. He was like a younger brother for as long as I can remember. It was hard but we turned a blind eye to him. We were disappointed in how things ended, but if he were to be jailed then we didn’t want to be there when it happened. We didn’t want to be responsible for worsening his condition. A part of us was comforted knowing Arata was not evil enough to kill the children once he had drained them. He wiped their memories and delivered them home. They would recover, but they would be in daze for days to come.”

Ino had no memory of being involved in a chakra extraction which meant her father either told a lie, or Arata had erased her memory some time afterwards. The latter seemed more probable.

“You would be just as responsible as Inoichi,” Shikamaru pointed out.

The man stilled, “Yes, I would, wouldn’t I?”

“Yeah,” Kotetsu considered, crossing his arms.

The man kept his back towards the bunch as he traced a scratch in the wall with a single finger. His arm dropped with a loud plop against his leg. He let out a long, depressed breath before dropping his head, “I...” he began before looking through a dirtied window, “I would be more of a criminal in this case than Inoichi,” he said reluctantly though clearly. He turned towards the group, “I helped him towards his goal until my conscious could no longer take it,” the man admitted.

“What were you trying to do with those kids?” Shikamaru questioned as he studied the man carefully. He was not too surprised over it. He had suspected the man of being more involved than he tried to come off to be since the night in the kitchen. 

The man across the room remained unresponsive for some moments. He was still. The longer he took the more Shikamaru believed he was simply unwilling to answer.

“We extracted raw chakra from the children to experiment with its purity. At each stage in life, chakra changes naturally. It is purest in a person’s earlier years before it’s gone through cycles of diminishing and recharging,” the man explained.

“What were you working on?” Kotetsu questioned.

The man let out another weighted sigh and began to speak more quietly, “We were trying to find a cure to something that had begun to make itself known. Some disease that develops within one’s chakra has been recorded some time before. It isn’t contagious; either you’re lucky or you’re not. Arata wasn’t. He was dying. He wanted a cure. Studies for the disease were progressing too slowly only because of the lack of funding and its low prominence in the nation’s population. However, we heard that a pure form of raw chakra could possibly counter act its effects and all we had left was hope. I wanted to help Arata. Knowing Inoichi would disagree with our methods, we didn’t tell him of our intentions which is why he didn’t find out until later. Of course, not every attempt to get a kid was successful. There were times where his desperation drove him mad and he’d act in broad daylight which scared the public. His health condition began to recline rapidly which took a number on his appearance as well as his mentality. He would scare them away before he even caught sight of them. Soon enough it was up to me to get the kids and bring them to Arata.”

“Has he ever tried to take a Hyuga?” Shikamaru asked suddenly.

“He didn’t move according to clan. It was whoever just so happened to be near. We came close to finding the cure or so he said, but by then I had enough. I wanted out, so I left him and pretended to be a stranger. By then, Inoichi had found out about it all, and I was already going against Inoichi’s shun by speaking to Arata behind closed doors. Eventually, I walked out on Arata. He never followed me or tried to get me to stay. He knew that what we were doing wasn’t exactly devoid of evil. Gods, we were _kidnapping_ kids and taking their chakra!” The man seemed as though his conscious had just been stirred after it had taken so long to settle. He ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head, “It was... I’m so sorry, Ino.”

Neji stood stunned by everything that had been thrown on to the table. Shikamaru looked to him remembering that they had yet to restore his memories, because to Neji, this day was nothing other than a ruined wedding day that kept spiraling into disaster.


	45. Chapter 45

“I’m only tired of it all. Arata should not be the only one punished in all of this. I abandoned him,” he weakly slumped against the wall, “Throw me in jail, tell the authorities whatever. Leaving him by himself,” he paused as though he could see his friend now, “The way he looked in his last few nights, it was… He didn’t deserve to die, he was…” the man placed a hand over his eyes as his voice cracked, “sick! He was just sick!”

Shikamaru kept a stern expression trying to prevent himself from pitying the man. The Yamanaka before him had assisted Arata in kidnapping and robbing children of their chakra. Though chakra can be replenished there was a risk of killing them if he had taken it too far. “You sure you don’t remember him mentioning a Hyuga girl?”

The man turned and faced him with a look of shame, “I don’t know,” he sighed. “After a while he worked with his mouth shut.” The man had become undone and was far from trying to speak carefully to hide details. He surrendered and waited for his fate behind bars. “I just don’t want to live in it anymore.”

“Arata tried to kill me?” Neji asked.

“Yeah, we’ll get your memories back in a second Neji,” Shikamaru said leaning towards the Hyuga. Ino’s jutsu had taken much of her energy. The girl needed time to allow her own chakra to replenish itself. “Where do we go from here?” He looked to the man who shook his head.

“I’m ready to serve time. I don’t care anymore,” there was truth behind his words. His face was drained, and his eyes told of his loss of the will to continue his run. He could no longer operate knowing that he had kidnapped and drained children and abandoned someone close to him during the roughest part of their life. He could see his friend’s darkened, glossy eyes when he left him alone on a particular night. It hurt him. “Inoichi,” he began.

“No,” Ino shook her head, interrupting him as soon as the name left his lips.

“Ino, Inoichi is responsible for letting this go,” Shikamaru said in a hushed voice.

“He didn’t _do_ it!” She shot back.

“He knew about it and let it continue. He should have informed authorities right away instead of waiting until it was his daughter that was harmed in the middle of the night. Even then he didn’t report it, he just looked away letting the guy get away with whatever he wanted. He needs to be convicted,” he spoke towards the girl who became worried to the point of sickness. She held her stomach and stood winded. All she could do was shut her eyes and nod in understanding.

. . .

Shikamaru walked along side Neji as they trekked home. Neji’s memories were recovered. After confronting Inoichi, the two left Ino home with her mother. There weren’t many words they could exchange then and there. Shikamaru thought he had always known the man as being a sort of uncle figure in his life rather than someone who did anything in his power to hide anything that would throw dirt on his name. Shikamaru watched the gravel as he walked. He thought back to the Yamanka.

They had gone to the police, filled them in on the details they, as the police, failed to capture when given the case. They then joined them in going to Inoichi who had been in his home, awaiting dinner unexpectant of the police force to pound on his door in the middle of the night. Shikamaru remembered how the man’s smile had died as stress shot through his blue eyes, turning them grey. Then and there, an odd feeling spread through the Nara. He felt like a traitor to the very man who had filled fatherly gaps in his youth. There was a pang of pain; Shikamaru could only imagine how Ino must have felt. The girl never looked to her father. She kept her mouth shut with tear-swollen eyes. Before announcing Inoichi’s offenses, the officer offered the girl a tissue only to receive a look of hatred from her. She was angry and didn’t know where to direct it. Inoichi did not resist arrest, rather he looked as though the night would happen inevitably. He turned his back in the door and waited to be cuffed. He didn’t have to be told to be silent; he had nothing more to say. Though Ino had nothing for him, Inoichi kept his eyes on his daughter. Shikamaru could tell that Ino felt her father’s eyes and it only hurt her more. Mrs. Yamanaka had entered the foyer from the kitchen at the sound of the officer’s voice. She was in shock. She appeared to be fearful even. The woman lowered her wooden spoon and walked towards the door with a look of defeat before being told to stay there. The words seemed to surprise her which told the Nara that the woman must have been expecting to be arrested as well. She had to have known, but the shadow-nin didn’t have it in him to strip his childhood friend of both of her parents. Arata’s accomplice had been apprehended prior to that, so he and Inoichi now sat side by side in the police station Shikamaru was sure. Though he knew justice was served, he couldn’t help but feel wrong. Everything was fine before his intervening. Before Shikamaru’s involvement, Arata was already gone, Ino had a father to come home to and Shikamaru felt as though he had disrupted it.

Just as his mind began to spiral, he felt a gentle tug against his ear before the fingers began to play with the stud that was pierced there. Neji leaned forward to capture the boy’s attention. The Hyuga’s expression was searching. It was serious but concerned.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Shikamaru answered the wordless question. Neji’s hand fell. The Nara continued to think unnecessarily. He questioned what would have happened if he had left the case alone as opposed to playing detective. The children would have never gotten justice, but from the sound of things Shikamaru doubted the children nor their parents knew of what happened. He could only think of Ino. He remembered the look on her face. She looked as though she were grieving. He let out a lengthy sigh through his nose.

“Shikamaru.”

“Hm?”

Nothing followed for some seconds. Neji dropped his gaze. “What are you thinking about?”

“Stuff.”

Neji heard his answer and didn’t know what to do with it. They walked side by side through the village in the night. The crickets exaggerated the silence between them. “Everything you did today was good.”

“Then why is Ino at home crying her eyes out right now?” Shikamaru asked plainly.

“Because her father allowed someone to bring harm to the children of others.”

“Yeah, but it’s not happening anymore. Arata’s dead. I could’ve left it and they could be eating dinner or having family game night or something. Whatever the hell families would be doing right now,” Shikamaru shrugged, showing his cluelessness. Neji wouldn’t exactly know either. It was the first night of the end of the week. Families could be eating, resting, playing games, traveling. Inoichi was at the police station.

“She is not upset because of you, Shikamaru. She is upset because of her father’s actions,” Neji said.

The Nara sighed, wishing to drop both the conversation and the feeling swelling in his chest.

“He erased our memories,” Neji began, “I had forgotten about that night on the beach in the Land of Hot Water. It was the time we spent together before the Hyuga Elder appeared…”

Shikamaru’s brows knitted in confusion at the sudden mention of such a time.

“I believe I had the glasses that you bought. They reminded you of Shino’s, I remember. I think I might have hooked them into the collar of my shirt because we were away from everyone else, and it was too late at night to be able to see through the darkened lenses…” Neji’s accuracy with the memory’s details told of how the moment they shared back then had been emotionally impactful through his eyes.

Shikamaru’s head rose slightly as he looked to the male who began to reminisce.

“We agreed on our end if it were to come. You said something that stuck to me,” Neji tried to remember the words Shikamaru had used.

“Next time just let me die,” Shikamaru said.

“I’m sorry?”

“That’s what I said. You took me back to that camp where the Hyuga fixed the snake bite problem. I didn’t want you to risk something like that again, so I said, ‘next time just let me die’,” the Nara reminded the male to his right.

Neji was amazed at the boy’s ability to remember something word for word. Not only that, but the conversation had taken place so long ago. “Right,” Neji observed the shadow-nin as though he were a wonder. “But I did not wish for you to die for my freedom.”

“I remember,” Shikamaru said coolly, “You said ‘Shikamaru I could not live with myself if my fleeing costs your death,’ then I said, ‘And I couldn’t live with myself if my mistake costed you your freedom, so I guess we both have legitimate reasons to feel the way we do,’,” the younger mocked their own conversation bringing a lazy smile to his face. “Stubborn,” he muttered. Little did Neji know that it was just another thing the Nara had said to him on the beach that night. “And then I did something like…” Shikamaru brushed strands of long mocha behind Neji’s shoulders and placed his hands on either side of the male’s pale face, “…this.” He then lowered his hands enough for his fingers to brush gently against Neji’s jaw, just grazing past his ears.

“I remember,” Neji said softly, placing two hands to each of the Nara’s wrists, copying his own actions from that night. They held each other’s undivided attention. They were the only world around them at that point. Shikamaru stared into the Hyuga’s opalescent eyes that were so fixed on him. He softened within. He felt at ease and the internal storm from minutes ago calmed enough to be pushed aside for the time being. He relaxed. “Do I need to remind you of what happened next?” Neji questioned though he doubted the Nara needed a reminder.

Shikamaru kissed him with no warning. It was soft, gentle, caring and expressed his genuine care for the male. It lingered for some time, and when they parted, the warmth lingered even longer. Their eyes claimed each other’s once again.

“Nara,” Neji said softly.

“Hm?” Shikamaru hummed, pulling the Hyuga closer. He wrapped his arms around Neji’s waist and placed his head against the elder’s shoulder. He shut his eyes and comforted himself against Neji’s warmth.

“That was not what happened next,” Neji said as he placed one hand against Shikamaru’s head, the other against his back. They swayed side to side just barely yet enough for it to be soothing.

“I know,” Shikamaru admitted, “But it’s what I wanted to do back then.”


	46. Chapter 46

Neji stood by Hinata as they watched the water rush beneath them. The temperature had dropped significantly in the past few weeks. It had been that long since the arrest. Neji only regretted just now coming to his cousin about a certain matter that had been on his mind for the longest.

“Neji,” the girl spoke up after minutes of them watching from over the bridge. She placed a hand on his shoulder. A chilling breeze blew that nipped at any part of them that was exposed to the autumn air. Hinata stroked her stray hair behind her ear as the rest of it danced in the wind similar to her cousin’s. She held his eyes, only hers were paired with a sweet smile as opposed to his stiffened features. “I’m glad he chose you.”

Neji was concerned that Hinata may have felt the same way her sister did about his sudden lead. He asked her to walk with him early that morning. The two would walk side by side silently. There were so many things that had taken place in the absence of the other that neither of them knew where to begin. It was unexpected that Hinata would be the one to speak most confidently. His stare lingered. He wanted to be sure the girl meant what she said. “Are you sure?” He asked.

The girl nodded before hugging the male that was so much more of a brother to her than anything else. “You’re strong, Neji. No one would be better for the position.”

The sudden pounce had taken the male by surprise, still he hugged the girl and the two of them remained connected for some time just as they were when they first reunited after being apart for those three months. A contributor to the length of the embrace would also be the chill of the fall season. The wind began to pick back up and the sounds of fallen leaves scraping against the ground echoed through the sky. Hinata looked up to her cousin with a soft smile before detaching herself.

“Father spoke to Hanabi. He told her of his reasoning. I think she’ll understand. She’s smart,” the girl assured.

Neji returned a weaker smile, somewhat doubtful of that being the outcome. He only hoped that if it ever did come to him having to rid himself of his status, Hinata or Hanabi would continue his work.

“Don’t worry, Neji,” she said, pulling him back into the moment. What happens in the future does not concern him now. He would do anything he could today for a better tomorrow for all Hyuga alike. “I’m,” she began, her aura dulling, “sorry if I ever made you feel like you were only meant to serve,” she kept her gaze lowered, her voice sheepish.

“Hinata, you are part of the reason why my hatred for the Main House died down. You have only ever shown me kindness.”

“I wish,” she paused, placing a hand against her chest, “I just wish that the way things are now were how they’ve always been,” her words were simply put and almost a childish plea, but those were typically the types of words that relayed a message most clearly and honestly.

“Me too,” Neji agreed turning to look back over the bridge. Hinata joined him in observing the flow of the water in a comfortable silence.

. . .

Shikamaru sat next to Ino over her bed’s floral-patterned comforter. Ino kept her eyes to her lap. Shikamaru kept his mouth closed. Only when he was spoken to did he speak.

“I just,” she began, clutching a woven doll in between her hands, “I don’t understand how you could let something like that go on for so long,” her voice was nearly a whisper.

Shikamaru’s eyes settled on the space of the bed between them. Ino placed the doll in the small gap and held herself. She turned her head to hide her despair. Though the weeks had dried most of her tears, she was still torn when she wasn’t angry and confused when she wasn’t torn. Yes, Inoichi had allowed the crime to continue, yes the other Yamanaka male had aided Arata in the kidnappings, yes Arata was the man who tried to take Hanabi, yes Hiroto used this fact to threaten Arata into killing Neji, yes Arata failed resulting in his death at the hands of Hiroto. Yes, Shikamaru had ended it all on the beach that night as fire raged behind him, tingling the skin of his back. However, who it was that attempted to poison them on their wedding day, no one could begin to guess. Each Hyuga denied taking part in the failed attempt at assassination, leaving no clues or leads that they could have been untruthful. It remained a mystery over the weeks, but no further harm had come for either of them, so they lied it to rest for the most part. Still, the web of events had lasting effects on the different people that were indirectly involved. Shikamaru began to debate whether he should leave the girl alone or stay to give her a distraction through his company. That was until he heard a small sniffle leave the girl. The boy then took no time lifting the woven down from in between them and shifting to close the distance before wrapping a comforting arm around her. She held on to him without a second thought and he let her take all the time she needed.

. . .

Neji stood at the gate with the rest of Team Gai.

“We will miss you, Neji!” Lee’s voice was a few decibels more than necessary as usual.

“I think I’ll miss you most,” TenTen groaned, “You were like a breath of fresh air on these things.”

“Don’t worry, TenTen! Don’t forget you still have me and Lee to keep you company this time around,” Gai smiled, flashing his bright teeth before tossing an arm around said student.

TenTen groaned all over again.

Neji smiled slightly.

“There it is!” Lee exclaimed.

“What?” Neji asked, now frowning in confusion.

“Your smile! It is the rarest thing I have ever seen!” Lee explained.

“You’re right, Lee. Come on, Neji let’s see it again. This time with teeth,” Gai urged as both he and Lee leaned in closely, too close for comfort truthfully.

“Bite, them,” TenTen whispered. That was when Neji repeated his expression from before just slightly.

“Wider!” Rock Lee demanded.

“Bite them,” TenTen repeated.

“Wider!” Gai encouraged.

Neji then produced a look of disturbance.

“Aw,” Lee pouted.

“A shame indeed, but we’ll get it eventually,” Gai promised. “Let’s get a move on, team. We’ve got a long way to go,” he placed two fists on his hips before lunging and taking off for the forestry just outside of the village.

“Yes, Gai Sensei!” Lee yelled enthusiastically before following behind his instructor at a speed that not many could match.

TenTen shook her head, “We’ll see you,” she smiled to the Hyuga with a faint wave before reluctantly trailing after the green-suited health fanatics.

Neji watched them as they disappeared with distance. Even with their suspension lifted, he was now clan head therefore he could not place himself in varying states of danger regularly. He had to stay within the village and manage his own clan as long as he served. At least, by the terms and regulations of the Hyuga clan. All he could do was smile at the backs of his companions and wish them a safe return.

. . .

The Ino-Shika-Cho trio walked through a town unfamiliar to them. They had just completed a mission earlier than expected and began to head in the direction of Konoha. Shikamaru kept a wad of paper money in his pocket. It was an extra thanks given to them by the woman who governed the area. He tried to turn it down multiple times, but the flashy woman wouldn’t hear it. Her long, red nails nearly pierced the Nara’s skin when she slapped the money into his hand.

Shikamaru looked to Ino who walked alongside him and Choji. Her demeanor had changed since her father had been arrested. She was less lively. Closer to the time of his arrest, Shikamaru would find that the girl had let a number of plants wilt and die. Mentally, he tried to repeat Neji’s words that it wasn’t Shikamaru’s fault, it was her father who had broken her. Even Ino had proven it multiple times since Inoichi’s imprisonment. She showed no resentment towards the boy. In fact, it would be his shoulder she leaned to for support here and there, so he knew the girl held no hatred for him. Still, a small whisper in the back of his head condemned him for her current state. He spotted a shopping center in bright lights not too far from them but in the opposite direction of their route home.

“Hey,” he rubbed his arm against her to get her attention. The girl’s eyes flickered back to life before she turned to him. The Nara took the money from his pocket and nodded his head in the direction of the shopping center. That lit her up.

“Really?” She asked in a whisper.

He nodded, “Yeah, we’ve got a lot of time to kill. Why not?” He shrugged. The shadow-nin watched the girl come back to life as excitement shot through her just at the sight of what her melancholy caused her to miss before. She shot past the two boys beside her and made her way towards the oasis.

“Good thinking, Shikamaru,” Choji perked up.

“Just hate seeing her like this,” the Nara replied.

“Yeah. My family would bring dishes every now and then to help out, but it’s just really…” he let out a breath that produced a pained hissing sound.

Shikamaru sighed, “I know.”

Ino turned in the distance with a smile on her face, “Come on!” She called.

Shikamaru smiled at the image before swaying into a walk towards their new destination.

. . .

“Be safe,” Neji ordered the Nara that stood in the door of the house.

“That was perfect, you could’ve been my mom easy,” Shikamaru commented as he pulled his vest on.

Neji grabbed a hold of him and spun the boy until he faced him. He then zipped the vest up for the shadow-nin in a sharp motion.

“What’s wrong?” Shikamaru asked. “You worried about the meeting?”

“Yes. I was informed that a Hyuga caused legal trouble in another land. For some reason that I cannot begin to understand, they did not tell me what that offense was. I fear that it was something so horrid that it could not be mentioned in the letter they wrote,” he crossed his arms and lowered his head as he rambled. Shikamaru already knew of the details. It had been troubling Neji for hours now. Ever since receiving the letter, Neji had been fretting over the matter through his motions if not verbally.

The Nara grabbed Neji’s chin and planted a rushed kiss to the male’s cheek, “I’m sure it’ll be fine. It might’ve been so small it wasn’t worth mentioning. It could be someone who just wants money out of some tiny problem.”

Neji tilted his head and deadpanned which stopped the younger’s motions all at once.

“What?” Shikamaru asked before being able to fully slip his foot into his sandal.

“I doubt that is the case,” Neji said.

It was Shikamaru’s turn to deadpan.

“What?” Neji questioned.

“It’s _fine_ ,” the shadow-nin promised. “I wish I could go with you,” he put sarcastically, “but I’m already kinda late to meet with the team. We have a mission today in some other nation or something. I’ll see you. Good luck,” he made to walk away but then spun around to kiss Neji a second time.

“You already kissed me goodbye Nara,” Neji fought the feeling of amusement that began to betray his forced expression of irritation.

The Nara had already begun his trip down the dirt road when he turned around, now walking backwards to offer a shrug in response to Neji’s comment.


	47. Chapter 47

Neji walked, accompanied by his uncle on the way to the meeting. Although the Main House had yet to free the Side Branch of the notorious brand mark, they have been less demanding since Neji came into power. None of the elders dared to stick their heads out too far now that it had been made clear that the highly respected Hiashi Hyuga held his ground siding with his nephew. All any of the rest could do was sit and drink their tea with scowls taking away from their otherwise decent features. If Neji knew the technique behind the sealing, he would have freed each one of Side Branch members himself even if he had to do it alone.

“I want you to know that we found the one responsible for the poisoning on your wedding day,” Hiashi informed. He walked with his arms wrapped behind his back.

Neji looked to his uncle with interest. The information interrupted a long silence they had both been holding since their departure. “Who was it?”

Hiashi tilted his chin upwards, taking in the bit of the sky visible in between the separation of the trees just over the beaten path. “A Nara.”

Neji remembered Shikamaru mentioning the contents used were similar to what his family utilized to put down their injured deer. Of course. “Why?” He wondered aloud. It couldn’t have been Shikaku. “Who was it?” He demanded calmly.

“Shikaku located the Nara boy and figured it out himself. The boy found no point in feigning his innocence and admitted to the crime he had committed. He was an unfamiliar face around your age. He began to speak nonsense,” Hiashi looked as if he were reliving the scene, “It was a rather discomforting display.”

“What did he say?” Neji questioned further.

Hiashi narrowed his eyes thinking back. He did not respond right away showing a bit of hesitance towards answering the question. “Something about it being Shikamaru’s fault,” he looked to Neji. “He said that if only Shikamaru had not done what he had done, then the drinks would have never been poisoned,” the man said it so lightly that one would have never felt that he spoke of life or death. “Hm.”

Neji’s eyes drifted from his uncle as he thought. He wondered who it could have been, however if Hiashi had not recognized the face, then Neji would not be able to guess. He only knew of three Nara.

Hiashi’s arm shot out from his sleeves as he pointed just overhead, “Look at that one. The birds here are magnificent.”

Neji could not possibly pay any mind to such things. He thought about what the boy had meant. He continued to wonder what Shikamaru could have possibly done to place both of them in such a position. His mind soon wandered to the current concern of the Hyuga clan member’s criminal offense. His mind began to move from that to the previous matter, to and fro. He shut his eyes wishing his uncle had kept to himself.

“What is wrong?” Hiashi asked.

“What did he do?” Neji was really asking himself, he only voiced it.

“He tried to kill you on your wedding day.”

“No, Shikamaru. What did he not tell me?”

Hiashi looked back to the birds with a frown, “What does it matter? Whoever he is with you is how he will always be. He cares for you. Has he ever shown you anything that could hint towards a more malicious part of him?”

“No, but I never got to know him before we fled the village,” Neji responded as he folded his arms, insecure of his knowledge of said boy. That was until a thought occurred to him.

“Neji, do not worry please.”

“Shikamaru did tell me of someone from his clan that he had gotten to know,” Neji put lightly, “they were close, but Shikamaru told me that the boy began to ignore him so he returned the silence.”

“That could have been him, then. In which case, you have no reason to worry about Shikamaru being the one in the wrong. The way the boy presented himself painted him out to be a mad man anyhow,” he looked back to the clan head, “I think Shikamaru is safe,” he smiled, crinkling the faint age marks forming in the corners of his eyes.

Neji let it all sink in. He did not want to believe that the convict had been someone else. He did not want to believe that there was something more to the story that had been hidden. Neji silently let out a steady breath as he reminded himself that Shikamaru had been incredibly open with him. He told Neji many things he was sure the Nara would never necessarily use as conversation starters with anyone else. Shikamaru was not bad. Shikamaru is safe.

“Good,” Hiashi said from beside him earning his nephew’s attention, “Relax. Trust him. I have a feeling he will be good.”

“Yes, I know.”

“I have a really good feeling,” Hiashi pressed on.

“Yes,” Neji repeated suspicious of his uncle’s repetition.

. . .

“Neji?” His uncle called from the other side of the panel inn door. Luckily, his nephew had been awake at the late hour, simply sinking into his own mind over what was discussed earlier that day. Now the two were spending the night in an inn, planning to continue their travels the next morning.

Neji removed himself from the mat and opened the door, wide awake to his uncle’s relief.

“Come with me,” Hiashi said before drifting down the hall with his arms tucked into his sleeves. Neji followed wordlessly until the two found themselves in a clearing surrounded by trees not too far from the rural inn.

Neji looked around before relocating his uncle who had adopted a fighting stance to which Neji readied himself for. There was a harshness in Neji’s eyes that told Hiashi he believed the man wished to attack him.

“Relax, Neji. I am not going to hurt you,” the man said as he put himself at ease of the stance, “I only wanted to show you the twin lion fist.”

Neji’s eyes briefly rounded at that before he stood upright with a single head nod.

“Channel your chakra into your hands. In order to achieve the accumulation that the Twin Lion fist requires you to have, you must steady your breathing and allow your chakra to flow from the inside out starting from your chest. I have no doubt that you can master it. You are a skillful shinobi,” Hiashi spoke as he watched the younger step to his side.

Neji mirrored Hiashi’s motions only quicker in a more professional sweep than Hiashi had been expecting. They were the movements of someone who had been practicing prior to that moment in the forest. Even more unexpectantly, Neji had gotten as far as to channel the necessary amount of chakra for the twin lion fist, only two pairs of dragon heads appeared instead. They were more green than the twin lion fist but still exerted the same power. The energy was so great that the leaves and branches of nearby vegetation swayed away from the focus of power as though the chakra was a gust of continuous wind. Hiashi stood in awe at the sight, the mix of blue-green illumination painting his white eyes. He did not feel as though he got to study the display long enough before it was gone and Neji stood shamefully.

“I have been practicing it behind your back, Uncle,” he bowed his head. He got no response from the man beside him. He felt the stillness in the air intensify. He felt as though he betrayed everything his uncle had come to accept simply by never strictly abiding by the rules from the start. He did not know what else to say, “I am sorry.”

“Just like your father,” Hiashi said quietly.

Neji opened his eyes and wondered if he had heard correctly. He looked to the man.

“Your father had the same results,” he mindlessly stepped closer to his nephew, disregarding Neji’s words, “I would teach him in secret. However, once it came time for him to produce the lions, he could only get the dragons in their place,” he smiled humorously, “he grew irritated, thinking there was something wrong with him.”

Neji watched Hiashi revisit the memory. The elder Hyuga chuckled through the story.

“We could not understand for the life of us why he could only produce dragons but never lions,” his shoulders shook with laughter, “they were the same shade of green as your own. It was strikingly similar to a pale jade or emerald. I thought I saw my brother once the dragons emerged from your hands,” his laughter died down. He placed a hand on his nephew’s shoulder, “You really are a miracle, Neji.”

“A miracle,” Neji repeated.

“Well, yes. Did you not read your father’s journal?”

He hadn’t, “I have not read through all of it.” He closed it once his father began speaking of a love interest he could not pursue because of his arranged marriage and leading up to that point were multiple stories of Hizashi being let down because of the clan’s impossible rules and expectations. It had begun to dim Neji’s days and he decided to read in increments only to set the book down for days at a time. He did not wish to picture his father in such situations.

Hiashi cleared his throat, “Forget I said anything,” he dismissed. “Let us return and sleep for tomorrow. It will be,” he paused before turning back towards to inn, “eventful.”


	48. Chapter 48

“Neji, be ready in twenty minutes,” his uncle called from the other side of the panel.

. . .

Again, the two walked side by side in the direction of which the offense was reported. Neji would catch glances of the man by his side every now and then and wonder what the man was so joyful about. It was the most content he had ever seen his uncle and it did not match Neji’s mental depiction of the man over the years. It was odd.

“What? Can I not smile?” Hiashi questioned, feeling a large leaf as they passed the foreign plant life.

Neji looked away and kept silent.

“I am happy,” Hiashi explained simply, looking to the younger male. “That is all.”

“For what reason?”

“Must I have a reason?”

Even with reason the man was never known to show it. Neji kept silent once again.

“Are you wondering about Shikamaru’s past again?” The man questioned.

“No.”

“My contentment terrifies you that much?”

“No,” Neji crossed his arms as they walked keeping his calm composure. “It is only new.”

“I could say the same for you,” Hiashi said stopping in his tracks.

Neji paused and turned to face the man whose serene smile had yet to die down. It was that of an old man with little to his name but plenty to satisfy himself. He looked as though he had much to teach, things unknown to those who only thought on the surface level. Neji began to wonder the true reason behind his uncle’s sudden change in temperament. Had last night been that life-changing?

“I am only proud. Let us continue on our way.”

. . .

Neji heard Hiashi’s feet come to a stop beside him once again. Hours had passed and the sky began to show tints of orange as the breeze became a bit more piercing. He looked to his uncle that had begun observing something far beyond the trees, off the beaten path.

“Let us continue our travel through here,” Hiashi’s serious demeanor had finally returned some time back and everything was normal until the man made the odd suggestion.

Neji questioned his decision but did not want to be disrespectful. He simply followed along and trusted that it may have been a shorter route toward their destination. Though it was off the beaten path, it was oddly easy to travel. It appeared as if people had paved it just enough to walk through the area without having to push aside branches and step over roots. It was appreciated though unexpected. Soon after the observation, a warm aroma wafted past. It was that of evening meals and sweet pastries which was another oddity considering their current setting. He supposed the smell may be what was drawing Hiashi deeper into the forest. Even if that were the case, it would still be strange behavior coming from the man. Eventually, Neji caught glows in the distance. Their exact source was blocked by the weave of trees throughout the forest that cloaked the land in the illusion that it was hours later than the actual time. However, the closer they became the more he was able to place fragments together. It was a rather spacious and elevated pavilion, larger than the typical one that held a single bench. It covered enough ground to hold an entire meeting. This must be where they would discuss the matters of their clan member’s offence and punishment. It was odd that it would be located in such a remote location though he supposed those of a different land handled things in different fashions.

He heard overlapping voices at their increasing proximity and saw white tables adorned by elegant tablecloths and serving plates with drinks held in decorative glasses. The lights that he noticed from afar were produced by multiple tiny candles held in glass containers. Some of which were held in mounts on the pillars of the pavilion. Others hung from the ceiling by threads of thin rope, none of which were the same length as another. It produced an image similar to that of scattered stars just over head.

As Neji followed Hiashi up the pavilion stairs, the man stepped to the side allowing him to observe the things he missed at first glance from below its higher level. What he saw surprised him.

He came face to face with the display of many Side Branch Hyuga along with his friends and family dressed elegantly, conversing with one another. Neji observed from the entrance, candlelight dancing across his face, giving his appearance a warm hue. Just as he was trying to make reason of what the event was, TenTen spotted him with a gasp.

“Neji,” she said with rounded eyes that sparkled in the candlelight. Sakura who had been speaking to the girl followed TenTen’s stare and spotted said male.

“Oh!” She covered her mouth. Everyone began to notice his presence one by one. Eventually, Neji caught a visual of the back of Shikamaru in the distance. The boy wore attractive robes with his hair flowing loosely, gently brushing his shoulders just the way Neji always said complimented the Nara’s features. Shikamaru was holding what seemed to be a humorous conversation with his father over something inaudible to Neji due to the distance. That was until the pavilion grew silent and Shikamaru looked away to see what had interrupted the lively environment only to lock eyes with the newcomer that was Neji Hyuga. A warm, fond smile grew on his face as he began to step towards the male who still stood wordlessly. Shikamaru planted his feet before him and waited for the Hyuga to say something. Neji still studied the environment blankly. The Nara waited until the male’s eyes found him again before he spoke.

“Neji,” the Nara said as he tried not to chuckle at the Hyuga’s response to the set up.

“The meeting,” Neji thought aloud.

“Was a lie to get you out here,” the Nara explained.

“Your mission,” the Hyuga added.

“Was also a lie that gave me time to set some things up,” the shadow-nin then took his hand. “Neji.”

Neji swallowed at the Nara saying his name in the way that he did. It was soft same as the boy’s hold.

“Marry me,” the Nara finally got out.

Neji’s eyes widened further at the request. The white irises then lowered to the Nara’s collar as the words echoed in his head. Marry him. Neji placed his free hand against the shadow-nin’s shoulder. He knew he had to do it in the name of his status, but when the matter was presented in this way, it felt more natural. He placed his face into the crook of the boy’s neck to hide his bashfulness before wrapping his arms around the Nara tightly. He then nodded into Shikamaru’s shoulder. He heard the uproar of the people around them. They all cheered, some screamed, others clasped hands and raised their glasses. There was one who shed tears and one who still tried to convince himself that the binding of such people wasn’t that bad after all. Yoshino tensely smiled with tearful eyes, tears that she did not know were of joy or loss of her son. Still, she smiled widely next to her husband who sipped on his drink to avoid forcing a front of any emotion at all.


	49. Chapter 49

They exchanged vows, drank proper sake, ate soba and mackerel, and danced to music played on instruments by those who knew even the slightest bit of how to play. There was laughter and joy all around. It was the happiest day of either one of their lives and the sunset drenched it in golden hues of orange, pink and eventually purple. Though the temperature began to drop, no one could feel its bite due to the energy they all shared warming each individual that stood so much as near the pavilion. Neji fixed plates for those of the Side Branch though they begged him to enjoy today for it was his day of celebration. He told them it was nonsense, that he enjoyed just being able to celebrate with those from his own clan.

“Lord Neji,” Hotaka, the one who had warned the two of both sides of the clan some time ago, spoke.

“I will not argue again.”

“No, it is not that,” Hotaka said before stepping back.

Neji turned to face the man along with the rest of the Side Branch who stood side by side. Each of them, one by one began to remove their forehead covers to reveal blank spaces free of their brand marks. His shock made itself known as he lowered the large clay pitcher of tea before taking two slow steps forward.

“You freed us,” Hotaka spoke as they all bowed, “Thank you Lord Neji.”

Neji let out a single breath before his head spun to his uncle who offered a smile from where he stood watching from a few tables down. He then looked to Shikamaru who looked away as soon as he was caught.

“Did you know about this?” The clan head asked.

“Know about what?” The Nara acted cluelessly as he placed a sophisticated arm behind his back while the other held his glass. He took a sip to avoid speaking further.

He did. He knew about it. He knew about everything. Neji’s heart rate quickened with excitement at the visual. They were all free. They were no longer subjects to the Main House rule. There was no longer a division. He spotted Hibiki who stood bowing similarly to those adjacent to him.

“Hibiki,” Neji began.

“Thank you, Lord Neji,” the boy interrupted.

“Neji,” the clan head corrected.

Hibiki lifted his head and locked eyes with the male. “Neji,” he echoed quietly as comfort from the casual familiarity relaxed his stiffness.

“Alright!” Naruto exclaimed.

“Whoo!” Kiba followed until everyone present joined in and rejoiced. Neji continued to look over what once was the subgroup of the Hyuga clan in disbelief. Shikamaru stepped to his side.

“I hope you like it,” the Nara said over the rim of his glass. Neji looked to him with a smug look. Of course, he did. It was all he had been demanding since he’s gained power. “Woah what’s that look about?” Shikamaru lowered his drink. Neji took the cup and drank the remainder of the liquid without answering the Nara. “Neji?” No answer. The smug look never removed itself from Hyuga. “Neji, come on,” Shikamaru anticipated an answer but in turn gained a simple peck on the cheek before his partner trailed away to find his teammates, leaving the Nara dumbfounded yet oddly excited.

“Shikamaru,” a familiar gruff voice called.

Shikamaru turned to find his father who wore Yoshino on his arm.

“This is nice. You really went all out on this,” Shikaku complimented.

“It’s beautiful,” Yoshino added.

“Thanks. You were the one that paid for a lot of it,” Shikamaru responded.

Shikaku looked to each candle overhead, “You know, when you came to me with the plans listed and sketched out, I figured,” the man looked to his son, “you really wanted to make it special for him,” he caught sight of Neji from afar who flashed that same smug smile to Shikamaru before focusing back in on a conversation with his team’s kunoichi. Shikamaru smiled back, anticipation returning all over again. The boy lowered his heated gaze to the wooden planks to avoid revealing too much to his father. “That bastard Hiashi said things that stuck,” Shikaku explained. Hiashi had called the man out on wishing ill against his own son for simply living, and it stirred in the Nara clan head for nights after that day in the shrine. He grew angry at the truth behind the accusation. “I saw that you weren’t just fucking around with that Neji boy,” Shikaku continued, keeping it to himself. “You actually liked him.”

His wording confused the younger Nara just a bit, “Thanks,” was all he could really come up with.

“I love you, Shikamaru,” Yoshino said, releasing her husband’s arm to hold on to her son, “And I’m so sorry, so sorry.” She did not mention for what which made the apology feel rather empty.

Shikamaru smiled, wrapping a single arm around the woman before working his way out of the now uncomfortable embrace. Even after all of the time between then and now, such contact with his mother still unsettled the boy. It was too similar to the moment they shared in the kitchen just minutes before he led Neji from the village. Only now, he did not feel the need to hide when something bothered him. Yoshino frowned at how quickly her son peeled her away, yet Shikaku didn’t seem to notice the awkward exchange.

“And I was just another drunk on the street,” The man repeated his son’s words from Shikamaru’s first night back in town. The younger Nara male recognized this and snorted. Yoshino forced a worry-torn smile as she began to rub her knuckles uneasily.

“Where are his parents?” Shikaku questioned.

Shikamaru cleared his throat at the change of pace, “His dad’s dead, died when Neji was seven. I don’t think he has,” the boy turned to look at Neji who seemed to be speaking deeply with his uncle, “a mom. He never really talks about it.”

“Oh,” Yoshino said. Shikaku studied Neji with a blank stare. He held a very similar face to his son, it showed of his lazy nature and did little to give insight of what went on within at times. Even now, Shikamaru wondered what his father was contemplating. Shikaku then without further conversation began to head in Neji’s direction.

“Dad,” Shikamaru called. He followed the man and asked what he planned to do only to be ignored.

The two closed in on Neji and Hiashi who both turned to face the Nara pair. Hiashi narrowed his eyes until the Nara clan head unexpectedly wrapped and arm around Neji. “Welcome to the family, boy,” he said in the tone of a chief awarding someone a position on the police force. Shikamaru could not tell if it was genuine or not, but he did not count on it to be. He pat Neji on the back a couple of rough times before taking a sip of his liquor which Shikamaru supposed fueled the odd behavior. Shikaku lowered the cup then wandered back into the crowd. Neji stood a bit stunned but comforted by the welcoming gesture. He readjusted his robes and looked to Shikamaru who still watched his father closely as a safety precaution.

“Shikamaru, can I talk to you?” Neji asked. Hiashi took it as his cue to leave the two to themselves. The question shook Shikamaru for some reason he could not pinpoint. He turned to Neji.

“The one who tried to poison us, did you know him?” Neji questioned.

“Yeah,” Shikamaru pinched the bridge of his nose as he shook his head, “sorry about that. He was the guy I told you about some time back, the experiment gone wrong,” Shikamaru took his cup from Neji’s hand and began to fill it with water, “I think everyone around us is just crazy. He was saying stuff like I broke him or something. He blamed me for his attraction to men which I don’t even know is possible. I thought people just like what they like and that was that but he blamed me for it and then said I left him alone and confused when he was the one who avoided me like the plague,” he sighed taking a sip. He furrowed his brows and lowered the cup, “Really, I didn’t even want to do anything with the guy again. I just wanted to talk it out or something, but he wouldn’t even do that much,” he shrugged. He looked to Neji who appeared to be relieved. “What are you so happy for?”

“I thought he was someone new that we would have to investigate,” Neji explained.

“Oh,” the Nara waved the idea off before looking into the crowd, “he was just a confused guy. He wanted to ruin something he couldn’t have. Honetsly, I feel bad,” he said, swirling the liquid in his cup thoughtfully. “Only downside of my dad figuring the whole thing out was that he found out about us. He didn’t say anything he just left to get a drink of beer,” he scoffed, “Never talked about it after that.” The Nara then leaned against the fencing of the pavilion and looked up at the true stars. Neji joined him and brushed a few mid-length hairs behind the Nara’s ear before nudging against him.

“Thank you, Shikamaru,” Neji said.

The Nara looked to the male whose eyes reflected the moonlight. He couldn’t help the pounding that began to pick up in his chest. Neji placed his gentle lips against shadow-nin’s that had been craving the contact since Neji took his glass and left without a word. They slowly parted, holding a heavy stare. Neji then leaned in near his ear, “I love you.”

Shikamaru then offered a look of pure fondness before surprising the Hyuga with a hook of his arm reeling Neji against him. He then neared his mouth to the elder male’s ear, “Then show me why you looked at me like that earlier.”


	50. Chapter 50

The two lied in bed, tangled in the white sheets as the afternoon sun rays shone through the crevices of the curtains that dimmed the light’s harshness. Shikamaru lay on his back, arms crossed and placed underneath his head. Neji rested his head against the shadow-nin’s bare stomach, watching the pale curtains sway in the gentle breeze that wisped from just outside. Shikamaru brought a hand down to stroke the Hyuga’s strands, twisting their ends around his fingers. They would often hold such a position and silence in times where their attendance nor aid was demanded. Both males were often busy in their own areas of work whether it be training the youth, aiding those in a neighboring land or simply sitting to listen to concerns of notable political figures. This was one of those rare times where they could decide how they would use their time, and they had both chosen to simply indulge in each other’s presences. It was not always something that was promised which made it all the more special.

Neji felt the tensing of the Nara’s abdomen as the boy chuckled. “What is it?” The Hyuga asked.

“I’m just remembering,” Shikamaru offered vaguely.

“Remembering what?”

Another chuckle came from the boy beneath him. “The conversation we had on the chalkboard,” the Nara drowsily shut his eyes as a smile crept onto his face.

Neji furrowed his brows at the memory. He only remembered it as being a time of physical discomfort having touched the harmful plant. “Why are you laughing?”

“I don’t know,” Shikamaru shrugged, “It was just kinda funny looking back. Spinning the board back and forth. Why did we do that? Why didn’t we just stand on the same side?”

Neji remembered how he had sensed others coming from a distance which was the reason behind him swiveling the board, “Someone was headed in our direction.”

“I figured, but why didn’t you just come to my side of the board?”

“I spun the words to hide our conversation. You erased it then replied, sending your words to my end,” Neji explained.

“Then you continued it,” Shikamaru added.

Neji shut his eyes, “I did.”

The Nara let out a heartier laugh, triggering the Hyuga to smile at such a juvenile memory. Shikamaru ran his hand through the dark curtain again, gently pulling hairs from Neji’s face. “Do you ever think about Ginji?” The Nara suddenly asked. It was a change of pace from the prior topic.

Neji’s smile dimmed, “I do.” The man had said things to Neji that stuck with him even now. Ginji had taught him to know his worth as a person just as he taught Shikamaru that it was okay to express when something was wrong. He shaped them in the little time he had left. A faint call could be heard from outdoors. The silhouette of a bird could be seen through the pale curtains just briefly. “Did you see that?” Neji asked in a hushed voice. Both males were not far from sleep.

“I heard it,” the Nara said.

“Do you believe in reincarnation?” Neji questioned. Shikamaru did not reply right away. He was thinking about the matter.

Shikamaru opened his eyes and looked to the ceiling tainted by the afternoon glow, “I don’t know,” he admitted. They dropped the topic though the Nara knew what Neji had been suggesting. The bird was odd, different from any Shikamaru had seen as far as behavior. The parakeet had a strange fixation on Ginji’s room that he never understood, but he never thought too much about it. The Nara looked to the curtains as he allowed the consideration to run.

“Are you ready for children?” Neji questioned. He felt the Nara tense again. The Hyuga smiled.

“Kids?” Shikamaru repeated nervously. “We’ve only been married for six weeks.”

“I am joking, Nara,” Neji sat up and looked down at the shadow-nin whose face was stricken with relief. “I am in no rush.”

“I know you’re new to jokes, but another one like that and I’d die.”

“Die?” Neji’s face contorted into concern.

“A joke,” Shikamaru said as he observed the male’s reaction, “See?”

“I understand,” The Hyuga shut his eyes as he collected himself. Before he could let out an extended breath, Shikamaru sat up and wrapped his arms around the male, pulling him back down to the bed with him to where both males lied on their sides facing one another. He pressed Neji against his chest as he watched the glow in the curtain’s fabric. One arm held the Hyuga by the waist, the other allowed Neji’s head to rest against it.

“Ino’s doing better,” Shikamaru informed.

“Really?”

“Yeah, I went with her to visit Inoichi and she showed him some new clothes. It was a drag getting there and staying for so long, but,” he thought back to the girl’s long-missed smile that regained its strength upon their departure from the prison, “it was worth it.”

Neji smiled against his partner’s chest. Shikamaru felt it and smiled himself.

“How about your dad?” The Nara questioned suddenly.

“My father?”

“The journal. Did you read any of it?”

“Yes,” Neji said. After his uncle’s words of Neji being a miracle, the male had become increasingly curious, so he read through the writing in his down time. He had finished reading it the previous night and now felt closer to his father than he ever had. “He was adventurous in his youth. He would get into trouble and get into accidents frequently. He loved soba and so did the girl that he fell in love with. The girl however was not of the Hyuga clan. They could not be together by Hyuga rule. In order to keep the clan’s bloodline strong, Hyuga must only be with Hyuga. He was arranged to be married to a girl he had no desire for. He married her and tried for a baby but were unsuccessful. Shamefully, he stepped out and had an affair with the one he truly loved, conceiving me. She died in childbirth. I suppose the woman he was made to marry never wished to have custody.”

“I'm sorry," the news was rather significant to the Nara, but Neji seemed to deliver it as though it were something that was of no importance to him, "So, you aren’t full Hyuga?”

“I suppose not,” Neji admitted. “I do not know how to feel about it.”

“Yet you’re stronger than a number of the full bloods,” the Nara thought aloud.

Neji lifted his head and studied the shadow-nin as he mulled over his words.

“You are a miracle,” the boy mumbled.

“How are your parents?” Neji shifted the attention.

“Fine last time I spoke to them.”

“When was that?” The elder male tilted his head.

“Two weeks after the wedding.”

“You should talk to them more.”

Shikamaru’s eyes wandered before he rolled onto his back, “To be fair when I visited, it was pretty much the same way I left it. Mom was an anxious mess, Dad was no where to be found. They’re stuck in their ways, but what did I expect you know? It’s been that way for so long,” the Nara sighed, shutting his tired eyes from the ceiling.

“I’m sorry,” Neji placed his chin on Shikamaru’s chest.

“It’s fine, I’m just glad I’m out of the house.”

Neji lowered his eyes out of the disappointment of his parents maintaining the same ways that had chased their only son away.

“How about your grandfather?” Shikamaru asked, grasping at things to talk about other than his tiresome parents.

“He is taking his medication. He has not been speaking or eating lately. My uncle believes he is close.”

“Oh,” hearing that was like a brick to the Nara’s chest. Though the man had made malicious orders with killing intent against him, Shikamaru knew that the man was not in his right mind and probably hasn’t been for some time. He did not resent the man. He imagined the view he saw of the elder in bed, hair almost as white as the bed sheets. He was stiff and unmoving until his son spoke out of line. The image of the same man breaking down on the floor after nearly caving the Nara’s chest in presented itself in the back of Shikamaru’s memory. The elder was too far gone in his own mind. Shikamaru only wished peace for the man, nothing more. “I’m sorry,” he said, unsure of how the Hyuga would take it.

“We were never necessarily close. We were more so associates who operated in the same area.”

That somehow added to the tragedy of the news. Shikamaru knew Neji was attempting the opposite but only worsened the man’s limited time in this world.

“I’m sorry,” Neji apologized quietly.

“For what?”

“Mentioning it.”

“Yeah, well I asked. You sure you’re okay?”

“Yes.” And he was. Nothing about him was out of the ordinary. It amazed Shikamaru how close blood ties could be; it was disregarded in the Hyuga clan. Hopefully it would be different under Neji’s leadership.

“Can we travel again? Visit the same towns we washed up to when we left the village?” Shikamaru asked in a spacey voice. It was almost as if he hadn’t been the one to suggest it.

Neji neared their faces, “When?” He questioned looking into Shikamaru’s eyes.

“When’s the next time you have to be somewhere?”

“I am unsure. I have not heard of anything as of yet,” the Hyuga drew in closer, their noses nearly touching. His hair shrouded the two of them.

“Tomorrow. If someone needs you, tell them to send a message by bird. We’ll be back in a month give or take maybe,” Shikamaru continued to sketch his ideas with a lazy smile before he locked eyes with the male a above him.

“Alright,” Neji whispered against Shikamaru’s lips before placing a light kiss against them.

The Nara hadn’t expected the male to agree so easily without taking the time to think it over. Their time together had allowed a bit of both of them to rub off on the other. Shikamaru was sure that he had been a bit more uptight than he once was though he was still who he always had been and the same applied to Neji only the male was a tinge more relaxed, both were of a healthy amount enough to aid one another when it really counted.

“Then we’ll leave, head to the Land of Rivers tomorrow — maybe we’ll see the lady who found us in the forest. Then, from there we’ll visit the Land of Birds,” Shikamaru began.

“Then the Land of Vegetables — visit the farmer who took us in. Afterwards, we should travel to The Land of Wind,” Neji continued.

“Then maybe we can eat at the same place in the Land of Hot water and walk the beach. Maybe we’ll see the trees I burned,” Shikamaru suggested. The Hyuga returned a humorous smile before lifting himself away from the Nara leaving the boy curious of the sudden motion. His chest grew cool without Neji’s presence and he began to complain before said Hyuga returned to his position just over the Nara. He held the pair of sunglasses that Shikamaru had purchased for him. Their lenses now cracked with a light layer of dust reminded Shikamaru of the time they spent before it had all gone downhill. It reminded him of the ridiculous risks they took. They reminded him of when Neji had gotten hair caught in his mouth while trying to bite into the fish on the rooftop of the hole in the wall.

Neji tried the glasses on and stared at the shadow-nin who watched him fondly. Shikamaru leaned up and connected their lips in a sultry kiss, “I love you,” he said, returning the words Neji had said on the night of their wedding, defying everything they had been taught, living through their own path knowing that they were finally able to live without hiding, to live without continuous pressure keeping them from living how they wished or as who they wanted to be.

“I love you, too,” Neji whispered against his lips.

For, it was those past lonely and unsatisfactory lives of which they were liberated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Questions Answered:
> 
> -Ino was the first and unmentioned sexual encounter Shikamaru ever had
> 
> -The reason for Neji’s depressed appearance prior to the lab incident was due to over exertion during the previous night. He had been out late practicing the twin lion fist resulting in fatigue rather than a state of severe depression which Shikamaru assumed Neji was under. The reason behind Neji’s offer to aid the Nara in his lab tasks was due to Neji’s feeling of being monitored back at home.
> 
> -Neji was in fact an accident but grew into a miracle of a prodigy
> 
> -Shikamaru’s parents regressed to their old ways and failed to fully change their habits
> 
> -Temari does volunteer to carry their child in order to give the Nara clan a clan heir. (Shikadai who is raised by both Shikamaru and Neji. Temari sometimes visits to assist in wind style training)
> 
> -Neji did not die in the war; Hotaka died in his place
> 
> -Arata had gotten far in his research before his death. Officials were able to replicate his progress and advance it into a full cure.


End file.
